What is the ruling on passing in front of a person praying, and does the Sacred Precinct differ from other places in this regard?
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Q: What is the ruling on passing in front of a person praying, and does the Sacred Precinct differ from other places in this regard? What does it mean for a passerby to cut off the prayer? Does he have to restart it if, for example, a black dog, a woman, or a donkey passes in front of him?
A: The ruling on passing in front of a person praying, or between him and his barrier, is that it is forbidden, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 507a It is agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim. It cuts off the prayer and invalidates it if the passerby is an adult woman, a donkey, or a black dog.
As for if the passerby is other than these three, it does not cut off the prayer, but it diminishes its reward, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Bulugh al-Maram 2:98 Muslim narrated it in his Sahih from the hadith of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him).
He also narrated a similar report from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), but he did not specify the dog as black, and the general statement is understood according to the specific one among the scholars.
As for al-Masjid al-Haram, it is not forbidden to pass in front of the one praying there, nor does any of the three mentioned things, or anything else, interrupt the prayer there, because it is a place of crowding and it is difficult to guard against passing in front of the one praying. A clear hadith has been reported regarding this, though it is weak; however, it is supported by the athar reported from Ibn al-Zubayr and others, and by the fact that it is a place of crowding and the difficulty of guarding against the passerby—as mentioned earlier. Al-Masjid al-Nabawi and other mosques are similar in meaning if the crowding becomes severe and it becomes difficult to guard against the passerby, due to the saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) : [al-Taghabun: 16] and His saying (Mighty and Majestic): [al-Baqarah: 286] and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 1337b agreed upon for its authenticity.
A: The ruling on passing in front of a person praying, or between him and his barrier, is that it is forbidden, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
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 خيرًا له من أن يمر بين يديهAs for if the passerby is other than these three, it does not cut off the prayer, but it diminishes its reward, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
In case there is not before him (an object) like the back of a saddle, a Muslim's Salat (prayer) would be cut off by (the passing of) a woman, a donkey and a black dog
يقطع صلاة الرجل إذا لم يكن بين يديه مثل آخرة الرحل المرأة والحمار والكلب الأسودHe also narrated a similar report from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), but he did not specify the dog as black, and the general statement is understood according to the specific one among the scholars.
As for al-Masjid al-Haram, it is not forbidden to pass in front of the one praying there, nor does any of the three mentioned things, or anything else, interrupt the prayer there, because it is a place of crowding and it is difficult to guard against passing in front of the one praying. A clear hadith has been reported regarding this, though it is weak; however, it is supported by the athar reported from Ibn al-Zubayr and others, and by the fact that it is a place of crowding and the difficulty of guarding against the passerby—as mentioned earlier. Al-Masjid al-Nabawi and other mosques are similar in meaning if the crowding becomes severe and it becomes difficult to guard against the passerby, due to the saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) :
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْAllah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَاAvoid that which I forbid you to do and do that which I command you to do to the best of your capacity
ما نهيتكم عنه فاجتنبوه وما أمرتكم به فأتوا منه ما استطعتم
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.