Explanation of what breaks the prayer by passing in front of the one praying
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Also, in the letter of the questioner (S. M. A.) from the State of Kuwait, in which we mentioned her question about jewelry, her letter contains several questions, among which she says: I was praying Maghrib when a rabbit passed in front of me. Does my prayer break because of that?
Answer: The passing of a rabbit or any other animal in front of the one praying does not break the prayer. The rabbit, the goat, and other animals do not break the prayer. Rather, it is broken by one of three things, according to the correct opinion of the scholars: the adult woman, the black dog specifically, and the donkey. This is how it came from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:.
The point is that these three are what break the prayer, according to the correct opinion of the scholars. There is disagreement among the scholars, but the correct opinion of the scholars is this: that nothing breaks the prayer except one of these three: either the woman, or the donkey absolutely, or the black dog with this condition. As for the rest of the animals, such as the dog that is not black, or the camel, the goat, the rabbit, the cat, or anything else, none of these break the prayer. However, if it is easy for them not to pass when one tries to prevent them from passing, that is better. One should not leave anything to pass in front of him. Likewise, the passing of a man in front of the one praying does not break the prayer, but it diminishes its reward. It is necessary that he prevent passing if possible, and it is not permissible to pass in front of the one praying. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade passing in front of the one praying and said:Sahih Muslim 507a. He commanded the one who is praying to have something to screen him from people, and not to let anyone pass in front of him, but to prevent them. So he said (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih al-Bukhari 509. The Sunnah indicates that the one praying prevents the one passing in front of him, even if he is not one of the three, even if he is not the dog, the woman, or the donkey. He should not let anything pass in front of him, neither a person nor another animal, if it is easy for him to do so. As for if it overcomes him and it passes, it does not harm his prayer. But one of the three harms his prayer and breaks it: either the black dog, or the woman, or the donkey. These three break it due to the authentic hadith mentioned previously, which is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Bulugh al-Maram 2:98.
And it is the Sunnah for the believer, when he wants to pray, to have something in front of him, either a chair, or a spear he plants in the ground, or a wall, or a pillar from the pillars, to pray toward it, so that nothing passes in front of him that breaks his prayer. If the passersby pass behind the screen, they do not harm the prayer. If they pass behind it, they do not harm the prayer. As for their passing between him and the screen, that is what is prevented. And if the passer is a woman, or a donkey, or a black dog, it breaks the prayer. Likewise, if these pass in front of him close to him, if he does not have a screen, if he has not placed a screen, and they pass close to him within three cubits or less, then these three break it. And if they pass far away, then that does not harm. If the passer is far away, more than three cubits, then it does not harm. Because he (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed in the Ka'bah and placed three cubits between him and the western wall. The scholars argued with this that this is the limit for the place of the screen, and that the screen is to be three cubits or less. So if the thing is farther than that, passing in it does not harm. Likewise, if the screen is present, what passes behind it does not harm. Yes.
The presenter: Very well, O Your Eminence! What is meant by the breaking that you mentioned, that the three break the prayer?
The Shaykh: Its invalidation, the invalidation of the prayer.
The presenter: And he must repeat it?
The Shaykh: The majority say: it breaks only the perfection. But the correct view is that it breaks the prayer, and he must repeat it if it was an obligatory prayer.
The presenter: So if one of these three passes, he must repeat the prayer between him and the screen?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Answer: The passing of a rabbit or any other animal in front of the one praying does not break the prayer. The rabbit, the goat, and other animals do not break the prayer. Rather, it is broken by one of three things, according to the correct opinion of the scholars: the adult woman, the black dog specifically, and the donkey. This is how it came from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
It breaks the prayer of the Muslim man if there is not in front of him something like the back of a saddle: the woman, the donkey, and the black dog. It was said: O Messenger of Allah! What is the matter with the black one compared to the red one and the yellow one? 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. There is disagreement among the scholars, but the correct opinion of the scholars is this: that nothing breaks the prayer except one of these three: either the woman, or the donkey absolutely, or the black dog with this condition. As for the rest of the animals, such as the dog that is not black, or the camel, the goat, the rabbit, the cat, or anything else, none of these break the prayer. However, if it is easy for them not to pass when one tries to prevent them from passing, that is better. One should not leave anything to pass in front of him. Likewise, the passing of a man in front of the one praying does not break the prayer, but it diminishes its reward. It is necessary that he prevent passing if possible, and it is not permissible to pass in front of the one praying. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade passing in front of the one praying and 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 خيرًا له من أن يمر بين يدي المصليIf 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 شيطانIn 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 المرء المسلم إذا لم يكن بين يديه مثل مؤخرة الرحل: المرأة والحمار والكلب الأسودAnd it is the Sunnah for the believer, when he wants to pray, to have something in front of him, either a chair, or a spear he plants in the ground, or a wall, or a pillar from the pillars, to pray toward it, so that nothing passes in front of him that breaks his prayer. If the passersby pass behind the screen, they do not harm the prayer. If they pass behind it, they do not harm the prayer. As for their passing between him and the screen, that is what is prevented. And if the passer is a woman, or a donkey, or a black dog, it breaks the prayer. Likewise, if these pass in front of him close to him, if he does not have a screen, if he has not placed a screen, and they pass close to him within three cubits or less, then these three break it. And if they pass far away, then that does not harm. If the passer is far away, more than three cubits, then it does not harm. Because he (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed in the Ka'bah and placed three cubits between him and the western wall. The scholars argued with this that this is the limit for the place of the screen, and that the screen is to be three cubits or less. So if the thing is farther than that, passing in it does not harm. Likewise, if the screen is present, what passes behind it does not harm. Yes.
The presenter: Very well, O Your Eminence! What is meant by the breaking that you mentioned, that the three break the prayer?
The Shaykh: Its invalidation, the invalidation of the prayer.
The presenter: And he must repeat it?
The Shaykh: The majority say: it breaks only the perfection. But the correct view is that it breaks the prayer, and he must repeat it if it was an obligatory prayer.
The presenter: So if one of these three passes, he must repeat the prayer between him and the screen?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.