What is the ruling on a sutrah, and is praying on a prayer mat sufficient in place of placing a sutrah?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on a sutrah, and is praying on a prayer mat sufficient in place of placing a sutrah?
The Shaykh : Placing a sutrah for the one praying, which means placing something in front of him to separate him from people, is a confirmed recommended practice (sunnah) that a person should not leave off unless he is praying behind an imam, in which case his imam’s sutrah serves as his sutrah. The edge of a prayer mat does not suffice as a sutrah, but the mat protects a person from someone passing over him, because it is not permissible for anyone to pass between the one praying and his sutrah, if he has one, or between him and the end of his prayer mat, if he has set one up for prayer, or between him and the place of his prostration, if he has neither a mat nor a sutrah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 507a And forty [years] were specified as forty autumns, and autumn means a year. That is, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is saying: If this man were to remain for forty years waiting for the one praying to finish, he would not pass in front of him except in three cases:
The first case: If he is praying behind an imam, it is permissible for him to pass in front of him, even if there is no dire necessity, though it is better that he not pass so as not to cause disturbance, but if he does pass, he does not commit a sin.
The second case: If he stands in the path of people, such as if he stands to pray at a doorway, then in this case he has no sanctity, because he has encroached upon the worshippers by standing in their passageway.
The third case: In the tawaf area, if a person is praying in the tawaf area and the circumambulators are numerous, there is no blame on them for passing in front of him, because he is the one who has encroached, since it is not permissible for the one praying to make things difficult for the circumambulators, because the one praying can pray in any direction of the mosque, whereas the circumambulators have no place other than this one. So whoever prays in their path has encroached upon them and has no sanctity.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Placing a sutrah for the one praying, which means placing something in front of him to separate him from people, is a confirmed recommended practice (sunnah) that a person should not leave off unless he is praying behind an imam, in which case his imam’s sutrah serves as his sutrah. The edge of a prayer mat does not suffice as a sutrah, but the mat protects a person from someone passing over him, because it is not permissible for anyone to pass between the one praying and his sutrah, if he has one, or between him and the end of his prayer mat, if he has set one up for prayer, or between him and the place of his prostration, if he has neither a mat nor a sutrah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
If anyone who passes in front of a man who is praying knew the responsibility he incurs, he would stand still forty (years) rather than to pass in front of him
لو يعلم المار بين يدي المصلي ماذا عليه لكان أن يقف أربعين خيراً له أن يمر بين يديهThe first case: If he is praying behind an imam, it is permissible for him to pass in front of him, even if there is no dire necessity, though it is better that he not pass so as not to cause disturbance, but if he does pass, he does not commit a sin.
The second case: If he stands in the path of people, such as if he stands to pray at a doorway, then in this case he has no sanctity, because he has encroached upon the worshippers by standing in their passageway.
The third case: In the tawaf area, if a person is praying in the tawaf area and the circumambulators are numerous, there is no blame on them for passing in front of him, because he is the one who has encroached, since it is not permissible for the one praying to make things difficult for the circumambulators, because the one praying can pray in any direction of the mosque, whereas the circumambulators have no place other than this one. So whoever prays in their path has encroached upon them and has no sanctity.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.