Ruling on Using a Sutrah in Light of Hadith and Practice of the Companions

Ruling on Using a Sutrah in Salah


Adapted from: “Sutrah ke Mukhtaṣar Aḥkām wa Masā’il” by Qāḍī Ibrāhīm Sharīf

1. Command of the Prophet ﷺ​

ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:


"لا تصل الا الى سترة ولا تدع احدا يمر بين يديك فان ابى فلتقاتله فان معه القرين"
“Do not pray except towards a sutrah, and do not allow anyone to pass in front of you. If he insists, then prevent him, for indeed with him is the shayṭān.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 506; Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah, 800)

2. Instruction to Be Close to the Sutrah​

Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه said:


“When one of you prays, let him pray towards a sutrah and be close to it.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd, 698)

3. Practice of the Prophet ﷺ in the Mosque​

Yazīd ibn Abī ʿUbayd said:


“I used to come with Salamah ibn al-Akwaʿ رضي الله عنه to Masjid al-Nabawi, and he would always pray facing the pillar where the muṣḥaf was kept. When asked why, he said: ‘I saw the Prophet ﷺ deliberately pray facing this pillar.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 502)

4. Using an Animal or Saddle as Sutrah​

Narrated from Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما:


“The Prophet ﷺ would place his mount sideways and pray towards it. If the camel moved, he would place the saddle in front of him and pray towards its back part.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 507)

5. Action of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه​

Qurrah ibn Iyās said:


“ʿUmar رضي الله عنه saw me praying between two pillars, so he pulled me closer to the sutrah and said: ‘Pray towards it.’”
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah, 7502)

6. Companions Competing for Pillars​

Anas رضي الله عنه said:


“I saw the senior companions of the Prophet ﷺ rush towards the pillars before Maghrib (to use them as sutrah for two rakʿahs) until the Prophet ﷺ came out.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 503, 481)

7. Anas رضي الله عنه in Masjid al-Ḥarām​

Yaḥyā ibn Abī Kathīr said:


“I saw Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه in Masjid al-Ḥarām, having planted a stick in the ground and praying towards it.”
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah, 2853)

8. Using a Person as Sutrah​

Nāfiʿ رحمه الله said:


“When Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما could not find a pillar in the mosque, he would say to me: ‘Turn your back towards me (so you can serve as my sutrah).’”
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah, 2878)


Note: If a person is serving as someone’s sutrah, he should remain in place until the other completes the prayer.

Summary Ruling​

• Using a sutrah is obligatory according to the clear command of the Prophet ﷺ.
• The sutrah can be any object that forms a barrier: wall, pillar, animal, saddle, tree, stick, or even a person.
• The worshipper should be close to the sutrah, and prevent anyone from passing between himself and it.