Muslim

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
وَلْيَدْ رَأْهُ:
He should (gesture or with his hand)
push him away,
stop or remove him.

(2)
اِنَّمَاهُوَ شَيْطَان:
He is rebellious and defiant,
and by following Satan he is not accepting a good thing.

Benefits and Issues:
This hadith proves that if someone tries to pass in front of a person performing prayer, he should be stopped.
If he does not desist gently, then he should be stopped with force and strength, but this is only permissible when the person praying has placed a sutrah (barrier) in front of him, and even then, the passerby tries to cross in front of the one praying without any valid reason.

Hadith Commentary:
Passing in front of someone who is praying is an extremely grave sin.
If the person passing does so deliberately, then he is certainly a shaytan (devil),
who is coming between Allah and His servant.
Such a passerby should be stopped as much as possible, even to the extent that, as in the case of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (radi Allahu anhu), if necessary, he should be prevented by pushing him away. Some people interpret the Prophetic instruction "then let him fight him" (falyuqatilhu) as hyperbolic.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
According to Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, the situation is such that if someone passes in front of a person praying and thereby seeks to sever the connection established between Allah and the servant due to the prayer, then the person praying has the full right to maintain this connection.
He should prevent the one passing in front of him, that is, he should gently alert him.
If he does not desist, then it is permissible to stop him with firmness.
If he does not heed the gesture, then he should be stopped by pushing him away, but this prevention should not escalate to scuffling or fighting, because such actions cause corruption in the prayer.
Preventing the passerby is for the protection of the prayer; if he is stopped in such a manner that the prayer itself is ruined, then the situation of “sin incurred and virtue lost” will arise.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has mentioned this hadith at another place, where the command to prevent is stated in absolute terms, whether the person praying has placed a sutrah or is praying without it.
The words are:
The person praying should prevent the passerby; if he does not stop, then he should resist him.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of the Beginning of Creation, Hadith: 3274)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah writes that he (the one praying) has been negligent by not arranging for the connection of thought and the protection of the prayer, especially when he is praying in a public passageway.
In Musannaf ‘Abd al-Razzaq, the distinction between prayer with a sutrah and without a sutrah is mentioned; on this basis, if someone prays without a sutrah or, despite placing a sutrah, stands far from it, then in such a situation, passing in front is not sinful, nor is it permissible to prevent the passerby. However, it is better even in such a case not to pass in front of the person praying.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/753)
But despite the great stature of Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah, we do not agree with this position, because the apparent meaning of the ahadith demands that one should not pass in front of a person praying under any circumstances, and if someone does, he should be stopped.
Yes! If the passerby is compelled, such that he finds no other way and cannot wait, then it is hoped that he will not be sinful.
Similarly, if someone is so far from the person praying that, according to common understanding, he cannot be said to be passing in front of him, then in such a case, passing is permissible, as if he is passing behind the sutrah.
In this regard, Imam Ibn Daqiq al-‘Id rahimahullah has also mentioned some details, which we will mention later.
2.
Imam Nawawi rahimahullah says that it is not obligatory to prevent the passerby; rather, it is better to prevent him and thus protect one’s prayer.
There is no disagreement on this, but the Zahiris have declared it obligatory.
Perhaps Imam Nawawi rahimahullah does not consider their disagreement significant, or he has not studied the books of the Zahiris.
The passerby is called “Shaytan” because he tries to come between Allah and the servant in order to sever the connection of supplication, which is the work of Shaytan.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/754)
3.
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has obligated the person praying not to allow anyone to pass in front of him.
Is this command for the protection of the prayer, or to save the passerby from sin? Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah writes that this arrangement is to save the passerby from sin.
Some have said that he has been obligated to do this for the protection of his own prayer, because it is more necessary for the person praying to protect his prayer.
Preventing another from sin is not more important than protecting one’s own prayer, because Ibn Mas‘ud radi Allahu anhu says that someone passing in front of a person praying is so inauspicious that it causes a loss of half the reward, and ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu says that if the person praying knew how much passing in front of him reduces the reward, he would never pray without a sutrah.
Although both these reports are mawquf, they may be considered marfu‘, because such statements cannot be made based on personal opinion; nevertheless, they indicate that the person praying is obligated to do this for the protection of his own prayer, not to save the passerby from sin.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/755)
It is possible that the person praying has been obligated for both purposes: that he should pray with a sutrah and alert the passerby, so that his prayer remains protected and the passerby is also saved from sin.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
It is obligatory for the one performing prayer to place a barrier (sutrah) in front of himself while praying. If, despite this, someone tries to pass in front of him, he should stop that person. In one version of this narration, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“If any one of you prays using something as a barrier (sutrah) from the people, and someone tries to pass in front of him, then he should stop him. If he does not stop, then he should fight him, for he is a devil (shaytan).” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Salat, Hadith: 509)
By “fight,” what is meant is not to kill with a weapon, but rather to stop the passerby with severity. This proves that passing in front of someone praying is a satanic act, because it corrupts the prayer of the worshipper.

➋
Imam al-Bukhari (rahimahullah) has established the satanic nature of this act from this hadith.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
NATAZAKARU:
To discuss an issue,
and to converse.

(2)
MASAGH:
A passageway,
a path.

(3)
Mithl:
Both fat-ha and damma are permissible on the letter "tha",
He stood upright.

(4)
NAALA MIN ABI SA‘ID:
He spoke ill of Abu Sa‘id,
attacked his honor and dignity.

700. Commentary:
The meaning of "fighting" is to forcefully stop the passerby with the hand. Sufyan al-Thawri rahimahullah was a Tabi‘i; this was his practice. What was the reason for this practice according to him? He did not mention it. Therefore, according to the hadith, every passerby should be stopped with the hand, whether the one passing is doing so out of arrogance or is weak.

(1) "Fight him" means that, as much as possible, one should prevent the person passing in front, but not to the extent that his own prayer becomes invalid, because he is stopping the passerby in order to protect his prayer. If he himself ruins his prayer, then what is the benefit of stopping the passerby? The way to do this is to stop the person passing in front with his hand; if the passerby does not stop and insists on passing in front, then he should push him in the chest. This does not mean that he should roll up his sleeves and start wrestling with him, abandoning his prayer and engaging in a fight, because this would invalidate his own prayer.

(2) The Imam (rahimahullah) has deduced from this that a person himself can administer punishment; there is no need to go to the ruler. However, pushing someone or giving a light slap does not fall under the category of punishment nor retribution (qisas). Therefore, the inference for the chapter is not strong. Yes, it can be said that a minor action can be done by oneself, which does not fall under the jurisdiction of the court, but those matters which are under judicial authority and to which criminal law applies, individuals do not have authority over them. For example: to hit someone in such a way that he is injured, or his bone is broken, or a limb is lost, or—Allah forbid—he dies. In such a case, he himself will be considered a criminal and will be punished.

758. Commentary: One must certainly place a sutrah (barrier) in front of oneself during prayer. If one does not place a sutrah and someone passes in front, then both the passerby and the one praying will be sinful. However, if there is a sutrah, then it is permissible for someone to pass in front. Nevertheless, if someone tries to pass between the sutrah and the person praying, it is obligatory for the one praying to prevent him. If the person does not desist, then he may even be pushed away; however, this should not escalate into a scuffle, as that is contrary to the nature of prayer. Some scholars, based on the apparent wording, have even deemed such scuffling permissible, but it should be remembered that the indication of such words depends on the context and circumstance.

Benefits and Issues:
➊
If a person is praying in a place where there is a possibility that someone might pass in front of him, then he must place a sutrah (barrier).

➋
A wall or a pillar can also serve as a sutrah.

➌
There should not be too much distance between the person praying and the sutrah; otherwise, the purpose of the sutrah will be lost.

➍
If someone tries to pass between the person praying and the sutrah, he should stop him with a gesture, and if he does not stop, then he should prevent him more firmly. If it becomes necessary to push, then he should stop him in that manner; this is what is meant by "fighting."

➎
Calling the one who passes "a devil" means that he is doing this due to the temptation of Shaytan, or it means that Shaytan is with him, compelling him to pass, as is mentioned in the following narration.

Lexical Explanation:
«يَجْتَازُ» passes by.
«بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ» passes in front of him, that is, from the space between the person praying and the established barrier (sutrah). Apparently, both commands—namely, to repel and to fight—indicate obligation. And it has also been said that this is not obligatory, but recommended.
«فَإِنَّمَا هُوَ شَيْطَانٌ» This action of his is due to the incitement of Satan.
«اَلْقَرِينَ» Companion, meaning the Satan who clings to a person at every moment. The meaning is that Satan incites and urges the passerby to do this so that the person praying is deprived of blessing and mercy.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ Passing in front of a person praying when he has established a barrier (sutrah) is disliked, and it is obligatory or recommended to stop the passerby.
➋ According to the apparent meaning, it is obligatory to stop him with force and intensity. They have derived this conclusion from the apparent words of the hadith, and this very hadith is their evidence. According to everyone else, it is recommended.
➌ The person praying should try to stop the passerby with a gesture; if, despite this, he insists on passing, then he should stop him with a bit of force, and if he still does not desist, then he should strike him.
➍ This is only in the case when the person praying has established a barrier (sutrah) in front of him. If no barrier is established, then the fault lies with the person praying.
➎ From this, it is understood that such actions during prayer do not invalidate the prayer.

[وأخرجه مسلم 505، من حديث ما لك به]
Understanding (Tafaqquh):
➊ Is placing a barrier (sutrah) in front of the one praying obligatory or Sunnah? There is a difference of opinion among the scholars on this, and the correct view is that the sutrah is not obligatory but Sunnah. See [التمهيد 193/4]
● In Musnad al-Bazzar, there is a hadith that the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) prayed without a barrier (sutrah). [شرح صحيح بخاري لابن بطال ج2 ص175] The chain of this narration is hasan li-dhatih (good in itself), and with supporting narrations, it is authentic (sahih).
● It is thus understood that the ahadith which mention praying with a sutrah or not praying without a sutrah are to be interpreted as indicating recommendation (istihbab).
● ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr (rahimahullah) used to pray without a sutrah. [مصنف ابن ابي شيبه: 278/1 ح 2871 وسندہ صحیح]
➋ If a person is praying with a sutrah placed in front, then passing between him and the sutrah is a major sin (kabirah).
➌ Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhuma), when he could not find a sutrah at night, would make a person his sutrah and say: “Sit with your back turned towards me.” [مصنف ابن ابي شيبه: 279/1 ح 2878 وسنده صحيح]
➍ There is consensus (ijma‘) that the sutrah of the imam suffices for the followers (muqtadis).
➎ Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhuma) would neither pass in front of a person praying nor allow anyone to pass in front of a person praying. [الموطأ 155/1 ح 365 وسنده صحيح]
➏ Also see [الموطأ امام مالك ح 422، البخاري 510، ومسلم 507]
➐ It is permissible to place a sutrah in the mosque. The well-known Tabi‘i and trustworthy Imam Yahya ibn Abi Kathir (rahimahullah) said: I saw Anas ibn Malik (radi Allahu anhu) in Masjid al-Haram; he had planted a staff and was praying facing it. [مصنف ابن ابي شيبه: 277/1 ح 2853 وسنده صحيح]
➑ The famous Tabi‘i Imam al-Sha‘bi (rahimahullah) would throw his whip (on the ground) and pray facing it. [مصنف ابن ابي شيبه: 278/1 ح 2864 وسنده حسن] It is thus understood that there is no fixed requirement for the height of the sutrah; however, in light of the marfu‘ ahadith, it is better that the sutrah be as high as the saddle of a riding animal (i.e., at least one foot high). And Allah knows best.
➒ Necessary actions in prayer are permissible, even if they are many, provided there is evidence for them in the Shari‘ah.
➓ Khushu‘ (humility and concentration) in prayer is of great importance; therefore, one should strive to maintain it.