Is it permissible to pass between the rows in congregational prayer, and likewise to break the row to go out for ablution?

The questioner : Is it permissible to pass between the rows in congregational prayer, and likewise to break the row to go out for ablution?

The Shaykh : The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether the one who passes in front of the worshippers behind the imam commits a sin. Some scholars said: He commits a sin due to the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Forty, what?

The questioner : Allah knows best.

The Shaykh : No, this was not specified in the two Sahihs, but al-Bazzar narrated it with the wording: We say: Stand, how long? Forty minutes until he finishes his prayer, and do not pass in front of him. Forty minutes only; perhaps this worshipper's prayer does not take more than ten minutes, or perhaps it does not take more than five minutes. He may be in the last rak'ah, or in the final tashahhud, so it may not take more than four minutes. Accordingly, it is not permissible for anyone to pass in front of the worshipper. The scholars who say that passing in front of the worshipper, even if he is a ma'mum, is forbidden (haram) said that the hadith is general. Some scholars said: Passing in front of the ma'mumin is not forbidden, because when Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) came while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was praying with the people in Mina, he sent away the donkey he was riding, and he passed on his mount in front of some of the rows, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) approved of that. This indicates that it is not forbidden for a person to pass in front of the worshippers if they have an imam. This opinion is closer to the truth, which is that it is permissible for a person to pass in front of the worshippers behind the imam. However, if there is a fear of causing distraction, because some of the worshippers, when they see a person passing, they look at him until he passes them, and this causes distraction for the worshippers. If it happens that a person avoids passing in front of the worshippers, that is better. But if he passes, he does not commit a sin by doing so, even if it is a woman. Even if a woman passes in front of the worshippers behind the imam, it does not invalidate the prayer.