Prayers (Salat)

كتاب الصلاة

Chapter 90: The Sutra of the Imam is also a Sutra for those who are behind him

Narrated Ibn `Abbas

Once I came riding a she-ass when I had just attained the age of puberty. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was offering the prayer at Mina with no wall in front of him and I passed in front of some of the row. There I dismounted and let my she-ass loose to graze and entered the row and nobody objected to me about it.

Narrated Ibn `Umar

Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came out on `Id day, he used to order that a Harba [??] (a short spear) to be planted in front of him (as a Sutra for his prayer) and then he used to pray facing it with the people behind him and used to do the same while on a journey. After the Prophet (ﷺ) , this practice was adopted by the Muslim rulers (who followed his traditions).

Narrated `Aun bin Abi Juhaifa

I heard my father saying, "The Prophet (ﷺ) led us, and prayed a two-rak`at Zuhr prayer and then a tworak` at `Asr prayer at Al-Batha' [??] with a short spear (planted) in front of him (as a Sutra) while women and donkeys were passing in front of him (beyond that stick).

Chapter 91: What should be the distance between the person offering Salat (prayer) and the Sutra?

Narrated Sahl (bin Sa`d)

The distance between the Musalla of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and the wall was just sufficient for a sheep to pass through .

Narrated Salama

The distance between the wall of the mosque and the pulpit was hardly enough for a sheep to pass through.

Chapter 92: To offer As-Salat (the prayer) using a Harba (a short spear) (as a Sutra)

Narrated `Abdullah

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to get a Harba planted in front of him (as a Sutra) and pray behind it.

Chapter 93: To offer As-Salat (the prayer) using an 'Anaza (a spear-headed stick) (as a Sutra)

Narrated `Aun bin Abi Juhaifa

that he had heard his father saying, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to us at midday and water was brought for his ablution. He performed ablution and led us in Zuhr and `Asr prayers with a short stpear (or stick) planted in front of him (as a Sutra), while women and donkeys were passing beyond it."

Narrated Anas Ibn Malik

Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) went for answering the call of nature, I and another boy used to go after him with a staff, a stick or a short spear (or stick) and a tumbler of water and when he finished from answering the call of nature we would hand that tumbler of water to him.

Chapter 94: Sutra (for the prayer)in Makkah and elsewhere.

Narrated Abu Juhaifa

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came out at midday and offered a two-rak`at Zuhr and `Asr prayers at Al-Batha and a short spear (or stick) was planted in front of him (as a Sutra). He performed ablution and the people took the remaining water left after his ablution and rubbed their bodies with it.

Chapter 95: To offer As-Salat (the prayer) facing a pillar

Omar said worshippers are more deserving of masts than their speakers. 'Umar saw a man praying between two cylinders, and he went down to a pole, and he said, "Pray for it."
Narrated Yazid bin Al `Ubaid

I used to accompany Salama bin Al-Akwa` and he used to pray behind the pillar which was near the place where the Qur'ans were kept. I said, "O Abu Muslim! I see you always seeking to pray behind this pillar." He replied, "I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) always seeking to pray near that pillar."

Narrated Anas

I saw the most famous people amongst the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) hurrying towards the pillars at the Maghrib prayer before the Prophet (ﷺ) came for the prayer.

Chapter 96: To offer non-congregational As-Salat (the prayers) between the pillars

Narrated Ibn `Umar

The Prophet (ﷺ) entered the Ka`ba along with Usama bin Zaid, `Uthman bin Talha and Bilal and remained there for a long time. When they came out, I was the first man to enter the Ka`ba. I asked Bilal "Where did the Prophet (ﷺ) pray?" Bilal replied, "Between the two front Pillars."

Narrated Nafi`

`Abdullah bin `Umar said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) entered the Ka`ba along with Usama bin Zaid, Bilal and `Uthman bin Talha Al-Hajabi and closed the door and stayed there for some time. I asked Bilal when he came out, 'What did the Prophet (ﷺ) do?' He replied, 'He offered prayer with one pillar to his left and one to his right and three behind.' In those days the Ka`ba was supported by six pillars." Malik said: "There were two pillars on his (the Prophet's) right side."

Chapter 97: Chapter

Narrated Nafi'

Whenever 'Abdullah entered the Ka'bah, he used to go ahead leaving the door of the Ka'bah behind him. He would proceed on till the remaining distance between him and the opposite wall about three cubits. Then he would off prayer there where the Prophet (ﷺ) had offered Salat, as Bilal informed me. Ibn 'Umar said, "It does not matter for any of us to offer prayers at any place inside the Ka'bah."

Chapter 98: To offer As-Salat (the prayer) facing a Rahila camel, a tree or a camel saddle as a Sutra).

Narrated Nafi`

"The Prophet (ﷺ) used to make his she-camel sit across and he would pray facing it (as a Sutra)." I asked, "What would the Prophet (ﷺ) do if the she-camel was provoked and moved?" He said, "He would take its camel-saddle and put it in front of him and pray facing its back part (as a Sutra). And Ibn `Umar used to do the same." (This indicates that one should not pray except behind a Sutra).

Chapter 99: To offer As-Salat (the prayer) facing a bed

Narrated `Aisha

Do you make us (women) equal to dogs and donkeys? While I used to lie in my bed, the Prophet (ﷺ) would come and pray facing the middle of the bed. I used to consider it not good to stand in front of him in his prayers. So I used to slip away slowly and quietly from the foot of the bed till I got out of my guilt.

Chapter 100: The person offering Salat (prayer) should repulse that person who tries to pass in front of him

Ibn Umar replied in the testimony and in the kaab, and he said that he refuses, except that he would fight him and fight him.
Narrated Abu Sa`id

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, (what is ascribed to him in the following Hadith):

Narrated Abu Salih As-Samman:

I saw Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri praying on a Friday, behind something which acted as a Sutra. A young man from Bani Abi Mu'ait [??] , wanted to pass in front of him, but Abu Sa`id repulsed him with a push on his chest. Finding no alternative he again tried to pass but Abu Sa`id pushed him with a greater force. The young man abused Abu Sa`id and went to Marwan and lodged a complaint against Abu Sa`id and Abu Sa`id followed the young man to Marwan who asked him, "O Abu Sa`id! What has happened between you and the son of your brother?" Abu Sa`id said to him, "I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, '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).' "

Chapter 101: The sin of a person who passes in front of a person offering Salat

Narrated Busr bin Sa`id

that Zaid bin Khalid sent him to Abi Juhaim to ask him what he had heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about a person passing in front of another person who was praying. Abu Juhaim replied, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'If the person who passes in front of another person in prayer knew the magnitude of his sin he would prefer to wait for 40 (days, months or years) rather than to pass in front of him." Abu An-Nadr said, "I do not remember exactly whether he said 40 days, months or years."

Chapter 102: A man facing a man while offering Salat (prayer)

Uthman hated to receive a man while he was praying, but that is if he worked with it, but if he did not work, Zaid bin Thabit said that a man does not interrupt a man's prayer.
Narrated `Aisha

The things which annul the prayers were mentioned before me. They said, "Prayer is annulled by a dog, a donkey and a woman (if they pass in front of the praying people)." I said, "You have made us (i.e. women) dogs. I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) praying while I used to lie in my bed between him and the Qibla. Whenever I was in need of something, I would slip away. for I disliked to face him."

Chapter 103: To offer As-Salat (the prayer) behind a sleeping person

Narrated `Aisha

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray while I was sleeping across in his bed in front of him. Whenever he wanted to pray witr, he would wake me up and I would pray witr.