The ruling on passing in front of the one praying

Question:
Is there some laxity, Shaykh Salih, in passing in front of the one praying?

Answer:
Passing in front of the one praying is not permissible if he has a sutrah (barrier) in front of him; he must not pass between him and his sutrah. If he does not have a sutrah in front of him, he should avoid passing in front of him at a distance of three arm's lengths. This applies in situations other than crowds. As for the Sacred Mosque, the Prophet's Mosque, and the large congregational mosques where people are crowded together,
there is no harm in passing in front of the one praying out of necessity. It is not permissible for the one praying to prevent them. Rather, he should let them pass due to necessity and need. However, if there is no excuse, it is not permissible to pass in front of the one praying, either between him and his sutrah or within a distance of three arm's lengths in front of him. Yes.