Chapter 04 -The Sutrah (or Partition) In Front of One, Who is Praying

242. Narrated Abu Juhaim bin al-Harith : The Prophet said, "If the person who passed in front of another person in prayer knew the magnitude of his sin he would rather wait for 40 (days, months or years) rather than pass in front of him." Agreed upon, and the wording is al-Bukhaari's. Al-Bazzar narrated with a different chain of narrators, "fourty autumns."


243. Narrated 'Aishah : "Allah's Messenger was asked during the expedition of Tabuk about the sutrah of th one who is praying. He said, "Something such as the back of the saddle {1} (to be put in front of him)." Related by Muslim.

{1} The stick which is put at the back of the saddle, for the ridder to lean on.


244. Narrated Sabrah bin Ma'bad al-Juhani, The Prophet said, "When one of you prays, he should put a sutrah (partition) in front of him, even if it is only an arrow." Related by al-Hakim.


245. Narrated Abu Dharr al-Ghifari : Allah's Messenger said, "When anyone of you stands for prayer and there is nothing in front of him (at least) equal to the back of the saddle as a sutrah his prayer would be cut off by(the passing of a )woman, an (donkey), and a black dog. This narration also has, "The black dog is a devil." Related by Muslim.


246. Narrated Abu Hurairah a similar narration, but without mentioning the dog.


247. Abu Dawud and an-Nasa'i related on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas : a similar narration without the last sentence, and he mentioned "The woman having her menses.'


248. Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri : Allah's Messenger said, "If any one of you prays towards a sutrah (a barrier) and someone tries to pass in front of him, then push him away. If he refuses, then fight him for he is a devil." Agreed upon. In another narration; "For he has his evil companion (Qareen) with him."


249. Narrated Abu Hurairah : The Messenger of Allah said, "When one of you prays, he should place something in front of him. If he can not find anything, he should set up a stick[ in fron of him] if he does not have a stick, he should draw a line [on the ground in front of him] then nothing that passes in front of him will harm him." Related by Ahmad and Ibn Majah.


250. Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri : Allah's Messenger said, "Prayer is not invalidated by anything, but push away [the person who is trying to pass in front of you]to the best of your ability." Related by Abu Dawud, but there is a weakness in its chain of narrators.