Does the one praying prevent a child from passing in front of him?

The Shaykh: Is it clear?

The questioner : It is clear; but I want to ask a question. I mean, sometimes children pass by once, twice, or three times, and there are hadiths indicating that a person must try to push away the one passing in front of him as much as possible; so how can one push these children away when they do not understand?

The Shaykh: What is the problem?

The questioner : The problem is that the child who passes by ... .

The Shaykh: I understand you, I understand you. What is the problem that arises from your question?

The questioner : Is it obligatory for the one praying to try to push the child away every time he tries to pass between him and the sutrah, or should he leave him alone?

The Shaykh: Does he use his hand?

The questioner : How do you mean he uses his hand?

The Shaykh: Does the one praying use his hand to prevent the child from passing in front of him?

The questioner : It is difficult.

The Shaykh: If so, what do we tell him? Use your hand?

The questioner : No, he does not use his hand.

The Shaykh: If the matter is clear and obvious, but I tell you the problem is not as you and others are imagining. It is not necessary to imagine that the one praying places a barrier in front of the child, and that he is actually unable to prevent him from pushing him. If, for example, he is in the state of standing, or bowing, or prostrating, or sitting in the tashahhud, all these forms differ from one another in terms of whether it is easy for him to push the child away or difficult. But in some forms, it is very easy, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did with the sheep that wanted to pass in front of him. He pushed it until he pressed his belly against the wall, and it passed behind him; so this is a method the one praying can use with the child.

The questioner : I am asking about the repeated passing of the child in front of the one praying.

The Shaykh: For you, O daughter of the faithful, everything has its answer, and I have given you the answer. Is that possible? I said you do not end the matter, and now I am answering you with a picture ... .

The questioner : I mean, as much as possible?

The Shaykh: Okay, what else do you have now?

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good for this answer, but I want to ask another question.

The Shaykh : Please, go ahead.

The questioner : It is about sleep. I mean, the Companions used to pray and then wait for the prayer until their heads would nod, and then they would stand up without performing wudu'. Is the hadith authentic?

The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.

The questioner : There is a hadith that says that the eyes are the seal of sleep, so if one's eyes sleep, let him perform wudu'?

The Shaykh: Yes, and are there hadiths that the Companions used to drink intoxicants?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh: And the free man is sufficient with a gesture, and of course the free woman is like the free man, for women are the counterparts of men, and it does not need clarification?

The questioner : It was not reported from them, I mean, his (peace and blessings be upon him) saying takes precedence over their actions, I mean, the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) takes precedence over what is reported of their actions?

The Shaykh: The important thing is that the first hadith you asked about, is it authentic or not? It was in a state of permissibility before the legislation, so if one sleeps, let him perform wudu', just as their drinking of intoxicants was before the prohibition, so is there no clear difference?