We know that it is obligatory for the one who prays to pray facing a sutrah, so what is the size of this sutrah?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : We know that it is obligatory for the one who prays to pray facing a sutrah, so what is the height of this sutrah that one prays facing? Please give us a ruling, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : The statementThe questioner : We know that it is obligatory for the one who prays to pray facing a sutrah. This is not established; rather, it is a point of disagreement among the scholars. Some scholars said that the sutrah is obligatory and that the one who prays must pray facing a sutrah, whether a wall or something else. Other scholars said that the sutrah is not obligatory, but rather it is a recommended practice (sunnah). This is the stronger position: that the sutrah is a recommended practice (sunnah) and not obligatory. This is based on the hadith of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 509 He said: Sahih al-Bukhari 509 This indicates that some people pray facing a sutrah and some do not pray facing a sutrah.
The people of the Sunan narrated from the hadith of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed in an open space with nothing in front of him. This also indicates that the sutrah is not obligatory, and that the command to take a sutrah is on the basis of recommendation.
The best for the sutrah is for it to be upright, such as a spear or a stick that is planted, or a board that is placed, or a stone or something similar. If he does not find that, then a line is sufficient... Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. In a question, he says, the second question.
The Shaykh : The statementThe questioner : We know that it is obligatory for the one who prays to pray facing a sutrah. This is not established; rather, it is a point of disagreement among the scholars. Some scholars said that the sutrah is obligatory and that the one who prays must pray facing a sutrah, whether a wall or something else. Other scholars said that the sutrah is not obligatory, but rather it is a recommended practice (sunnah). This is the stronger position: that the sutrah is a recommended practice (sunnah) and not obligatory. This is based on the hadith of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
If anybody amongst you is praying behind something as a Sutra and somebody tries to pass in front of him, then he should repulse him
إذا صلى أحدكم إلى شيء يستره من الناس فأراد أحد أن يجتاز بين يديه فليدفعهis praying behind something as a Sutra
إذا صلى إلى شيء يستره من الناسThe people of the Sunan narrated from the hadith of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed in an open space with nothing in front of him. This also indicates that the sutrah is not obligatory, and that the command to take a sutrah is on the basis of recommendation.
The best for the sutrah is for it to be upright, such as a spear or a stick that is planted, or a board that is placed, or a stone or something similar. If he does not find that, then a line is sufficient... Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. In a question, he says, the second question.