The Book of Prayers
كتاب الصلاة
Chapter 47: The Sutrah (Screen) For One Who Is Praying, And The Recommendation To Pray Facing A Sutrah. The Ruling On Passing In Front Of One Who Is Praying, And Preventing One Who Wants To Pass In Front. It Is Permissible To Lie Down In Front Of One Who Is Praying, Praying Towards One's Mount. The Command To Stand Close To The Sutrah. The Height Of The Suirah, And Related Matters
The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) used to say prayer towards his camel. Ibn Numair said: The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) said prayer towards the camel.
I came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in Mecca and he was (at that time) at al- Abtah in a red leather tent. And Bilal stepped out with ablution water for him. (And what was left out of that water) some of them got it (whereas others could not get it) and (those who got it) rubbed themselves with it. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stepped out with a red mantle on him and I was catching a glimpse of the whiteness of his shanks. The narrator said: He (the Holy Prophet) performed the ablution. and Bilal pronounced Adhan and I followed his mouth (as he turned) this side and that as he said on the right and the left:" Come to prayer, come to success." ' A spear was then fixed for him (on the ground). He stepped forward and said two rak'ahs of Zuhr, while there passed in front of him a donkey and a dog, and these were not checked. He then said two rak'ahs of the 'Asr prayer, and he then continued saying two rak'ahs till he came back to Medina.
I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (in Mecca at al-Abtah) in a red leather tent. and I saw Bilal take the ablution water (left by Allah's Messenger), and I saw the people racing, with one another to get that ablution water. If anyone got some of it, he rubbed himself with it, and anyone who did not get any got some of the moisture from his companion's hand. I then saw Bilal take a staff and fix it in the ground, after which the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came out quickly in a red mantle and led the people in two rak'ahs facing the staff, and I saw people and animals passing in front of the staff.
Some of them tried to excel the others (in obtaining water), and in the hadith transmitted by Malik b. Mighwal (the words are): When it was noon, Bilal came out and summoned (people) to (noon) prayer.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went at noon towards al-Batha', he performed ablution, and said two rak'ahs of the Zuhr prayer and two of the 'Asr prayer, and there was a spear in front of him. Shu'ba said and Aun made this addition to it on the authority of his father Abu Juhaifa: And the woman and the donkey passed behind it.
The people began to get water that was left out of his (the Prophet's) ablution.
I came riding on a she-ass, and I was on the threshold of maturity, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was leading people in prayer at Mina. I passed in front of the row and got down, and sent the she-ass for grazing and joined the row, and nobody made any objection to it.
The donkey passed in front of the row and then he got down from it And joined the row along with the people.
The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) was leading prayer at 'Arafa.
It was in the Farewell Pilgrimage or on the Day of Victory.
Chapter 48: Preventing One Who Wants To Pass In Front Of A Praying Person
When any one of you prays he should not let anyone pass in front of him (if there is no sutra), and should try to turn him away as far as possible, but if he refuses to go, he should turn him away forcibly for he is a devil.
I narrate to you what I heard and saw from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri: One day I was with Abu Sa'id and he was saying prayer on Friday turning to a thing which concealed him from the people when a young man from Banu Mu'ait came there and he tried to pass in front of him; he turned him back by striking his chest. He looked about but finding no other way to pass except in front of Abu Sa'id, made a second attempt. He (Abu Sa'id) turned him away by Striking his chest more vigorously than the first stroke. He stood up and had a scuffle with Abu Sa'id. Then the people gathered there He came out and went to Marwan and complained to him what had happened to him. Abu Sa'id too came to Marwan. Marwin said to him: What has happened to you and the son of your brother that he came to complain against you? Abu Sa'id said: I heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: When any one of you prays facing something which conceals him from people and anyone tries to pass in front of him, he should be turned away, but if he refuses, he should be forcibly restrained from it, for he is a devil.
When any one of you prays, he should not allow anyone to pass before him, and if he refuses, he should be then forcibly resisted, for there is a devil with him.
This hadith has been narrated by Ibn Umar by another chain of transmitters.
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 Abu Nadr said: I do not know whether he said forty days or months or years.
This hadith has been narrated from Abu Juhaim Ansari by another chain of transmitters.
Chapter 49: The Praying Person Standing Close To The Sutrah
Between the place of worship where the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed and the wall, there was a gap through which a goat could pass.
He sought the place (in the mosque) where the copies of the Qur'an were kept and glorified Allah there, and the narrator made a mention that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sought that place and that was between the pulpit and the qibla-a place where a goat could pass.
Salama sought to say prayer near the pillar which was by that place where copies of the Qur'an were kept. I said to him: Abu Muslim. I see you striving to offer your prayer by this pillar. He said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) seeking to pray by its side.
Chapter 50: The Height Of That Which Serves As A Sutrah For The One Who Is Praying
The Messenger of 'Allah (ﷺ) said: When any one of you stands for prayer and there is a thing before him equal to the back of the saddle that covers him and in case there is not before him (a thing) equal to the back of the saddle, his prayer would be cut off by (passing of an) ass, woman, and black Dog. I said: O Abu Dharr, what feature is there in a black dog which distinguish it from the red dog and the yellow dog? He said: O, son of my brother, I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as you are asking me, and he said: The black dog is a devil.