Benefits of the Hadith: (Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (When one of you prays, let him place something in front of his face.
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The Shaykh : This hadith contains several benefits, among which is:
The command to place a sutrah, based on his saying: The apparent meaning of the hadith is that there is no difference between being in an open space or a building, nor between fearing a passerby or not. Some scholars said that this applies only if one fears a passerby; if one does not fear a passerby, there is no need for a sutrah, such as a person who enters a mosque where no one is present and knows that no one will come, or a person in a desert who does not fear anyone passing by; in such cases, he does not place a sutrah. However, this opinion is weak, and the correct view is that the sutrah is prescribed whether one fears a passerby or not.
Among the benefits of this hadith is the principle of gradation from the highest to the lowest, and that a person should strive for perfection first; if that is not achieved, then what is below it is acceptable. This is the case in many matters. For example, in wudu', the original practice is to perform it three times, then twice, then once. Yes, gradation from the highest to the lowest is common, and this hadith is an example of it.
Among the benefits of this hadith is that it is better for one who wishes to use a stick as a barrier to keep it upright, based on his saying: This is the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), for when he wished to place a sutrah, he would plant the stick in the ground so that it would stand upright.
Among the benefits of this hadith is that the one praying to a sutrah places it directly in front of his face, not tilting it to the right or left. This is the apparent meaning of the texts, that the sutrah is exactly in front of you. There is a hadith that it is not permissible to stand directly in front of it, but rather to place it on the right shoulder or the left shoulder, but it is weak.
And among the benefits of this hadith is that a line suffices in place of a stick, and it is in the rank?
The student: The third.
The Shaykh : third, and the line here is in the case where the ground is affected by the line, such as sandy or gravelly ground; this is possible. But if it is not possible, such as on hard ground, is there any benefit to the line? No, and what has no benefit cannot be commanded by the Shari'ah. Therefore, the intended meaning is ground that is affected by the line.
Now, if someone asks, does coloring take the place of an effective line, or does it not?
The student: It does, it does not.
The Shaykh : Now, let us see, you have disagreed now. The line must have an effect, it must make a depression in the ground, is that not so? Like a line if a pile of sand or a pile of gravel is placed, its effect is visible, either as a depression or an elevation. Does a line achieve this?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : It does not achieve this, it does not achieve this, but in reality, it is protection for the one praying. In the sense that if the mosque is carpeted and there is something resembling a mihrab, and a person prays in this place, then this mihrab is considered protection for the one praying, protection for the one praying, even if it is not ... raised. But does it suffice as a sutrah? The answer is that if we say it does not suffice, then if the one praying has no sutrah, what is the limit of the respected place?
The student: The place of prostration.
The Shaykh : His place of prostration, and this is in the place of prostration, so it does not harm him if someone passes behind him ... the line does not suffice, the line ... does not suffice, meaning it does not have an effect, neither depression nor elevation. But if it is assumed that a person is praying on a mat that has this ... on the assumption that we do not consider it as something, we say it is within the sanctity of the one praying, so it is not permissible to pass between him and it.
And from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), ... this last one, the apparent?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Which one, this first one? Yes, Yahya?
The command to place a sutrah, based on his saying:
Let him place
فليجعلAmong the benefits of this hadith is the principle of gradation from the highest to the lowest, and that a person should strive for perfection first; if that is not achieved, then what is below it is acceptable. This is the case in many matters. For example, in wudu', the original practice is to perform it three times, then twice, then once. Yes, gradation from the highest to the lowest is common, and this hadith is an example of it.
Among the benefits of this hadith is that it is better for one who wishes to use a stick as a barrier to keep it upright, based on his saying:
Let him plant a stick
فلينصب عصاAmong the benefits of this hadith is that the one praying to a sutrah places it directly in front of his face, not tilting it to the right or left. This is the apparent meaning of the texts, that the sutrah is exactly in front of you. There is a hadith that it is not permissible to stand directly in front of it, but rather to place it on the right shoulder or the left shoulder, but it is weak.
And among the benefits of this hadith is that a line suffices in place of a stick, and it is in the rank?
The student: The third.
The Shaykh : third, and the line here is in the case where the ground is affected by the line, such as sandy or gravelly ground; this is possible. But if it is not possible, such as on hard ground, is there any benefit to the line? No, and what has no benefit cannot be commanded by the Shari'ah. Therefore, the intended meaning is ground that is affected by the line.
Now, if someone asks, does coloring take the place of an effective line, or does it not?
The student: It does, it does not.
The Shaykh : Now, let us see, you have disagreed now. The line must have an effect, it must make a depression in the ground, is that not so? Like a line if a pile of sand or a pile of gravel is placed, its effect is visible, either as a depression or an elevation. Does a line achieve this?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : It does not achieve this, it does not achieve this, but in reality, it is protection for the one praying. In the sense that if the mosque is carpeted and there is something resembling a mihrab, and a person prays in this place, then this mihrab is considered protection for the one praying, protection for the one praying, even if it is not ... raised. But does it suffice as a sutrah? The answer is that if we say it does not suffice, then if the one praying has no sutrah, what is the limit of the respected place?
The student: The place of prostration.
The Shaykh : His place of prostration, and this is in the place of prostration, so it does not harm him if someone passes behind him ... the line does not suffice, the line ... does not suffice, meaning it does not have an effect, neither depression nor elevation. But if it is assumed that a person is praying on a mat that has this ... on the assumption that we do not consider it as something, we say it is within the sanctity of the one praying, so it is not permissible to pass between him and it.
And from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), ... this last one, the apparent?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Which one, this first one? Yes, Yahya?