He also has another question, asking whether a carpet is sufficient as a sutrah for the one praying without placing a line. He sent us a picture, but it is not actually clear to us whether he drew it by hand?
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The questioner : He also has another question, asking whether a carpet is sufficient as a sutrah for the one praying without placing a line. He sent us a picture, but it is not actually clear because he drew it by hand?
The Shaykh : The Sunnah is that the sutrah be upright, like the back of a saddle, distinct and prominent, or something upright like a stick planted in the ground, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would place a spear in front of him. If that is not available, let him draw a line. If the edge of the carpet is distinct from the rest by being folded or having a prominent stitch, then it is sufficient; otherwise, it is not sufficient.
This is regarding taking a sutrah for the one praying.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for passing in front of the one praying on a carpet, whoever passes behind this carpet is not considered to be passing in front of the one praying, because what is more likely in my view is that what is in front of the one praying is the limit of his prostration, meaning from the place of his forehead to his feet.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And what is beyond that, he has no right to prevent people from it. So whoever passes behind it has done nothing wrong, unless the one praying has a sutrah that he used in a prescribed manner and he approached it closely. In that case, no one has the right to pass between him and his sutrah, even if it is slightly beyond the place of his prostration.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So, according to what we understood, the sutrah has two purposes: one is that it serves as a barrier between the one praying and whoever passes in front of him, and the second purpose, we have not grasped it until now?
The Shaykh : No, the discussion of it is from two angles.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : From the angle that the one praying is commanded to have it, and from the angle of others passing behind it. This is what I mean.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So, regarding the one praying, he must have something upright and distinct. If he does not find it, let him draw a line.
The questioner : Even if, for example, he is in a room and has locked himself in?
The Shaykh : If so, yes. Even if he is in a room and has locked himself in, he should approach the wall, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would pray facing the wall and approach it.
The Shaykh : The Sunnah is that the sutrah be upright, like the back of a saddle, distinct and prominent, or something upright like a stick planted in the ground, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would place a spear in front of him. If that is not available, let him draw a line. If the edge of the carpet is distinct from the rest by being folded or having a prominent stitch, then it is sufficient; otherwise, it is not sufficient.
This is regarding taking a sutrah for the one praying.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for passing in front of the one praying on a carpet, whoever passes behind this carpet is not considered to be passing in front of the one praying, because what is more likely in my view is that what is in front of the one praying is the limit of his prostration, meaning from the place of his forehead to his feet.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And what is beyond that, he has no right to prevent people from it. So whoever passes behind it has done nothing wrong, unless the one praying has a sutrah that he used in a prescribed manner and he approached it closely. In that case, no one has the right to pass between him and his sutrah, even if it is slightly beyond the place of his prostration.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So, according to what we understood, the sutrah has two purposes: one is that it serves as a barrier between the one praying and whoever passes in front of him, and the second purpose, we have not grasped it until now?
The Shaykh : No, the discussion of it is from two angles.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : From the angle that the one praying is commanded to have it, and from the angle of others passing behind it. This is what I mean.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So, regarding the one praying, he must have something upright and distinct. If he does not find it, let him draw a line.
The questioner : Even if, for example, he is in a room and has locked himself in?
The Shaykh : If so, yes. Even if he is in a room and has locked himself in, he should approach the wall, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would pray facing the wall and approach it.