Does passing in front of a person praying break his prayer and require him to repeat it?
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Question:
If a person is praying and someone passes in front of him, does his prayer break and does he have to repeat it?
Answer:
A person passing in front of the one praying does not break the prayer; rather, according to the correct opinion of the scholars, one of three things breaks it: a mature woman, specifically a black dog, and a donkey. This is how it came from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said:.
The point is that these three are what break the prayer according to the correct opinion of the scholars. However, a person passing in front reduces the reward of the prayer. One should prevent him from passing if possible, and it is not permissible to pass in front of the one praying, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it by saying:Sahih Muslim 507a.
He also commanded the one who is praying facing something that shields him from people not to let anyone pass in front of him, but to prevent him. He said (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 509.
The Sunnah indicates that the one praying should prevent the person passing in front of him, even if he is not one of the three, whether he is a human or an animal, if it is possible for him to do so. However, if the person overpowers him and passes, it does not harm his prayer.
It is Sunnah for a Muslim who wants to pray to have something in front of him, such as a chair, a spear stuck in the ground, a wall, or a pillar of the mosque. If people pass behind the barrier, they do not harm his prayer. However, their passing between him and the barrier is what is prevented. If the passer is a woman, a donkey, or a black dog, the prayer is broken. Likewise, if these pass in front of him close to him, and he has not placed a barrier, and they are within three cubits or less, then these three break the prayer. But if they pass at a distance greater than three cubits, it does not harm the prayer. This is because he (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed in the Ka'bah and placed three cubits between himself and the western wall. The scholars used this as evidence that this is the distance of the barrier.
The meaning of breaking is invalidation. The majority say it only breaks the perfection, but the correct view is that it invalidates it, and if it is an obligatory prayer, he must repeat it. And success is from Allah.
If a person is praying and someone passes in front of him, does his prayer break and does he have to repeat it?
Answer:
A person passing in front of the one praying does not break the prayer; rather, according to the correct opinion of the scholars, one of three things breaks it: a mature woman, specifically a black dog, and a donkey. This is how it came from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said:
It breaks the prayer of a Muslim man if there is not in front of him something like the back of a saddle: a woman, a donkey, and a black dog. It was said: O Messenger of Allah, what is the matter with the black one compared to the red and yellow ones? He said: The black dog is a devil.
يقطع صلاة المرء المسلم إذا لم يكن بين يديه مثل مؤخرة الرحل: المرأة والحمار والكلب الأسود. قيل: يا رسول الله ما بال الأسود من الأحمر والأصفر؟ قال: الكلب الأسود شيطانThe point is that these three are what break the prayer according to the correct opinion of the scholars. However, a person passing in front reduces the reward of the prayer. One should prevent him from passing if possible, and it is not permissible to pass in front of the one praying, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it by saying:
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 يدي المصليHe also commanded the one who is praying facing something that shields him from people not to let anyone pass in front of him, but to prevent him. He said (peace and blessings be upon him):
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 and if he refuses, he should use force against him for he is a Shaitan (a Satan).
إذا صلى أحدكم إلى شيء يستره من الناس فأراد أحد أن يجتاز بين يديه فليدفعه فإن أبى فليقاتله، فإنما هو شيطانThe Sunnah indicates that the one praying should prevent the person passing in front of him, even if he is not one of the three, whether he is a human or an animal, if it is possible for him to do so. However, if the person overpowers him and passes, it does not harm his prayer.
It is Sunnah for a Muslim who wants to pray to have something in front of him, such as a chair, a spear stuck in the ground, a wall, or a pillar of the mosque. If people pass behind the barrier, they do not harm his prayer. However, their passing between him and the barrier is what is prevented. If the passer is a woman, a donkey, or a black dog, the prayer is broken. Likewise, if these pass in front of him close to him, and he has not placed a barrier, and they are within three cubits or less, then these three break the prayer. But if they pass at a distance greater than three cubits, it does not harm the prayer. This is because he (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed in the Ka'bah and placed three cubits between himself and the western wall. The scholars used this as evidence that this is the distance of the barrier.
The meaning of breaking is invalidation. The majority say it only breaks the perfection, but the correct view is that it invalidates it, and if it is an obligatory prayer, he must repeat it. And success is from Allah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.