The Sutrah and an Explanation of What Breaks the Prayer

Is it obligatory for me to repeat the prayer or does it break if someone passes in front of me when it is not possible to place a sutrah? What is the considered height for a sutrah? And what is the estimated distance such that the passer is not sinful for passing by the one praying?
Answer: If there is a sutrah, it is forbidden to pass between the one praying and the sutrah. If he places a chair or something else, such as a stone or a backrest, in front of him, then no one is allowed to pass between him and the sutrah. If a donkey, a black dog, or a mature woman passes between him and the sutrah, his prayer is invalid. This is because it is authentically reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: It was narrated by Muslim in the Sahih, and there are corroborating narrations from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah and Ibn Abbas.
The sutrah should be approximately two-thirds of a cubit in height. This is because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The back of the saddle is the stick that is behind the rider's back in the saddle they used for camels, and it is approximately two-thirds of a cubit. If the sutrah is approximately two-thirds of a cubit or more, such as a stick stuck in the ground, a backrest placed in front of him, a large stone, a chair in front of him, or something similar, then this is called a sutrah. It should be close to him, around the place of his prostration. The distance that prevents the prayer from being broken is three cubits. If the passer is in front of him and there is no sutrah, it does not break the prayer. This is because he (peace and blessings be upon him), when Allah opened Makkah for him, prayed in the Ka'bah and placed three cubits between himself and the western wall. They said: This indicates the measure between the feet of the one praying and the place of the sutrah. If the one in front of the praying person is more than three cubits away and a passer passes in front of him, it does not break his prayer and it is not forbidden for the passer. However, if it is less than three cubits, it breaks the prayer if he is called a passer in front of him, or if he is between him and the sutrah, provided he is one of the three: the woman, the donkey, or the black dog. If it is not one of the three, such as a man passing, a man passing, or a dog that is not black passing, or an animal such as a camel, sheep, cow, or similar passing, this does not break the prayer at all. However, it is not appropriate to pass, and passing should be prevented. This is because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the prevention of the passer. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: .
The point is that one should look to prevent the passer so that he does not disturb his prayer, even if it is not one of the three, even if it is a man, or even if it is a beast. One should try to prevent it from passing so that it does not disturb his prayer. Perhaps the passer overcomes him and passes, or an animal overcomes him and passes, or a boy overcomes him and passes; this does not harm his prayer. His prayer is valid. Except if the passer is a woman, a donkey, or a black dog between him and the sutrah, or within the three cubits, meaning close to him if there is no sutrah. This is the summary of what the hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) indicate. Yes.
The presenter: Your Eminence! It seems appropriate that you would be kind enough to clarify that issue which confused one of the female Companions, if she was not one of the Mothers of the Believers, when she equated the woman with the black dog and the donkey. Perhaps there is a relevance in this station for you to clarify this, if you would be so kind?
Answer: Yes. It was reported from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), the Mother of the Believers, that she did not think that a woman breaks the prayer, and the hadith was hidden from her. She said: She thought (may Allah be pleased with her) that her lying down was like passing, but the matter is not so according to the people of knowledge.
The scholars said: Passing is one thing, and her lying down in front of him (peace and blessings be upon him) is another. If the woman is lying on her bed or on the ground and he prays facing her, there is no harm, no blame. He (peace and blessings be upon him) would pray facing her while she was in front of him, and there is no harm in that, and it does not break his prayer. The breaking is by passing from one side to the other. If she passes from one side to the other in front of him, between him and the sutrah, or within the three cubits, this is the place of breaking. As for the wisdom, Allah knows best what the wisdom is that caused the woman to be equated with the donkey and the black dog. Allah knows best, Glorified and Exalted is He. It can be said: The wisdom in that is that the hearts of men, the inclinations of men, and the desires of men are attached to the woman, so perhaps her passing would be a cause for... the heart of the one praying and the movement of his heart due to something related to women. So her passing becomes a breaker of the prayer, so that her passing is prevented strictly so that one does not be lenient in that. When it is known that her passing breaks the prayer, that becomes one of the causes for preventing passing and cutting off this matter. It can be said this, and Allah knows best. The wisdom may appear or it may not appear, but the Muslims are commanded to receive the rulings of Allah, accept them, and act upon them, even if they do not know their wisdom, with the belief that our Lord (Glorified and Exalted is He) is Wise and Knowing. As He said: : [Al-Nisa: 11], [Al-An'am: 83]. This is in many verses where He informs His servants that He is Wise in what He legislates of inheritances, prayers, and other things. As He is Wise in what He decrees for the servants of illness, death, wealth, poverty, war, peace, or other things. He is the Wise, the Knowing, Glorified is He, in everything, even if He does not reveal to us the wisdom in some matters. And even if we do not know the wisdom and it is not clear to us, we must believe that He is Wise and Knowing, even if we do not know that wisdom. As He (Glorified and Exalted is He) legislated Fajr as two, Maghrib as three, and Zuhr, Asr, and Isha as four. What is the wisdom? Allah knows best. Why did He make Maghrib three? And why did He make Fajr two and Jumu'ah two? And why did He make Zuhr, Asr, and Isha four? And why did He make fasting in Ramadan and not in other times, like the state of ihram or Rajab? And why did He make it a month without increase? The wisdom in not increasing it may appear to be a lightening and mercy from Allah. But His making it in that specific time between Shawwal and Sha'ban, Allah is the One who knows the wisdom, Glorified and Exalted is He. Similarly, His legislating zakah in wealth other than wealth for a profound wisdom that may appear to the servants or may not appear to the servants... and other matters in which the wisdom may be hidden from people, but it is obligatory to believe that He is Wise and Knowing. And so it is with the created things. One might say: Why did He create the fly? Why did He create the beetle? Why did He create the scorpion? Why did He create the snake? Why did He create other things? We say: [Al-An'am: 83]. He is the Creator, the Knowing, and He is the Wise, the Knowing. For a profound wisdom, He created these things, Glorified and Exalted is He. And among that is: that He knows that He is Able over all things, and that He does what He wills, and there is no repeller of His decree and no repeller of His command, Glorified and Exalted is He. So it is said regarding the remaining matters whose wisdom is hidden, such as the woman breaking the prayer. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you. So there is no need for discussion, no need for being affected, no need for opening the door to those who raise doubts?
The Shaykh: There is no need for that. We are slaves, slaves who are commanded. It is obligatory for us to obey the command of Allah and to leave what He forbids, Glorified and Exalted is He; for He is our Lord, our God, the One who bestows blessings upon us, our Creator, and our Provider. And He knows what is in our best interest better than we do. So we must submit to His command and not object. Have you seen if a person had a slave who owned worldly possessions from among the people, and the slave said to his master when he commanded him: "I will not obey until you clarify to me your purpose in this command!" The master said to him: "Bring us such-and-such a camel, bring us such-and-such a vessel, bring us such-and-such a sheep, bring us such-and-such a carpet." If the slave said: "I will not bring it until you teach me what the purpose is and what the wisdom is," would this slave be pleasing to his master? Would this slave be well-mannered? He is not well-mannered, nor is he pleasing to his master. Rather, his master might strike him or sell him for the lowest price; because he is not well-mannered. So it is obligatory to obey what his master says and to bring it, except if it is something that harms him or involves disobedience to Allah; that is a different matter and a subject of discussion. But in general, the servant and the slave obeys what he is able to do and what he does not know to be disobedience to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. So if the slave is to a slave, and the servant is to a slave, if he objects, he is of bad character and bad manners. So how is it with the slave in relation to his Lord, the Creator, the All-Knowing, the One who knows the interests of the servants? How does he object? How does he say, in the language of his state: "I will not obey until I know what the wisdom of fasting is, what the wisdom of prayer is, what the wisdom of passing in front of such-and-such an imam is, what the wisdom of my circumambulation is, what the wisdom of my drinking while standing or sitting is," and so on? No. It is part of good manners, part of servitude, and part of fulfilling the obligation to obey and not stop to consider the wisdom. Yes.
The presenter: We are pleased with Allah as our Lord, with Islam as our religion, and with Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) as our Prophet and Messenger.