Distance Between the Worshipper and the Sutrah
Adapted from: “Sutrah ke Mukhtaṣar Aḥkām wa Masā’il” by Qāḍī Ibrāhīm Sharīf
1. Ḥadīth of Sahl ibn Saʿd رضي الله عنه
"كان بين مصلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وبين الجدار ممر الشاة"
“The space between the place where the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed and the wall was enough for a sheep to pass.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Bāb Qadr Kam Yanbaghī an Yakūn Bayna al-Muṣallī wa-al-Sutrah?, 496)
2. Ḥadīth of Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه
"اذا صلى احدكم فليصل الى سترة وليدن منها"
“When one of you prays, he should pray towards a sutrah and be close to it.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, 698)
3. Practice of Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما in the Kaʿbah
“When ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما entered the Kaʿbah, he would walk straight ahead, with the door behind him, until the distance between him and the wall in front was about three forearms. Then he would pray.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 506)
From this, it appears that Ibn ʿUmar’s place of sujūd (prostration) was very close to the wall, meaning the sutrah should be positioned almost adjacent to the sujūd spot.
The ḥadīth of Sahl ibn Saʿd shows that the gap between the place of sujūd and the sutrah was only enough for a sheep to pass, which is a very small space.
Adapted from: “Sutrah ke Mukhtaṣar Aḥkām wa Masā’il” by Qāḍī Ibrāhīm Sharīf
Evidence from the Sunnah
1. Ḥadīth of Sahl ibn Saʿd رضي الله عنه
"كان بين مصلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وبين الجدار ممر الشاة"
“The space between the place where the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed and the wall was enough for a sheep to pass.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Bāb Qadr Kam Yanbaghī an Yakūn Bayna al-Muṣallī wa-al-Sutrah?, 496)
2. Ḥadīth of Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه
"اذا صلى احدكم فليصل الى سترة وليدن منها"
“When one of you prays, he should pray towards a sutrah and be close to it.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, 698)
3. Practice of Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما in the Kaʿbah
“When ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما entered the Kaʿbah, he would walk straight ahead, with the door behind him, until the distance between him and the wall in front was about three forearms. Then he would pray.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 506)
Measurement and Explanation
- One forearm (dhirāʿ) ≈ 1.5 feet
- Three forearms ≈ 4.5 feet
From this, it appears that Ibn ʿUmar’s place of sujūd (prostration) was very close to the wall, meaning the sutrah should be positioned almost adjacent to the sujūd spot.
The ḥadīth of Sahl ibn Saʿd shows that the gap between the place of sujūd and the sutrah was only enough for a sheep to pass, which is a very small space.
Summary Ruling
- The sunnah is to place the sutrah close to where you make sujūd.
- The distance should not exceed a small gap—approximately enough for a sheep to pass.
- This applies in all places: inside the mosque, at home, or in the open.
