Firstly, there is a clear Sunnah in protecting the sanctity of the prayer area and the worshipper. This is evident in several hadiths where the Prophet (peace be upon him) addressed both the worshipper and the passersby. Among these hadiths is one narrated by the two Sheikhs (al-Bukhari and Muslim), where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “If the passerby knew what is upon him in front of the worshipper, he would stand still for forty better for him than passing in front of him.” Another hadith narrated by Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri also states: “I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying, ‘If one of you prays towards something to cover him from the people and someone wants to pass in front of him, he should repel him, and if he refuses, he should fight him, for he is a devil.'”
Secondly, the boundary of the worshipper’s sanctity differs depending on his situation:
• If he has a barrier (such as a curtain), then the boundary is the barrier.
• If he does not have a barrier, then the boundary is the place of his prostration, which is said to be three arms’ lengths.
What we understand from the hadith is that the boundary is the nearest thing, so it was referred to in the hadith as “in front of him,” and this is only said for what is near.
Therefore, whoever prays at home or in the mosque without a barrier should make sure that no one passes beyond the place of his prostration.
Thirdly, there is also a specific prohibition in the Sunnah against certain categories passing in front of the worshipper. This is mentioned in a hadith narrated by Muslim and Abu Dawud from Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, may Allah be pleased with him, who said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The prayer of a Muslim man is cut off when a woman, a donkey, or a black dog passes in front of him, provided that there is no barrier the size of the back of a saddle.” Scholars have differed in their interpretation of this hadith, which is due to differences in understanding the word “cut off” in the hadith.
• Some Hanbalis, along with Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim, argue that the prayer is invalidated by the passage of any of the three (woman, donkey, or black dog). Ibn al-Qayyim said: “It is confirmed from the Prophet (peace be upon him) through multiple narrations that the prayer is cut off by the passage of a woman, a donkey, or a black dog. This has been narrated from Abu Dharr, Abu Hurairah, Ibn Abbas, and Abdullah bin Mughaffal.” The opposing views to these hadiths are of two types: sound but not explicit, and explicit but not sound. Therefore, there is no weight given to the opposing views.
• The majority of Hanafis, Malikis, and Shafi’is hold the view that the passage of any of the three does not invalidate the prayer, although it may diminish the reward according to the Malikis and Shafi’is. The view we choose is that of the Hanafi scholars and those who follow them, and this is for the following reasons:
– Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), Abu Bakr, and Umar said: “Nothing cuts off the prayer of a Muslim, and keep off as you can.” (Reported by ad-Daraqutni)
– Anas ibn Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prayed with the people, and a donkey passed in front of them. Ayyash ibn Abi Rabiah said: “Glory be to Allah, glory be to Allah…” When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) finished the prayer, he asked, “Who was saying tasbeeh (glorifying Allah) in front?” Ayyash replied, “It was me, O Messenger of Allah. I heard that a donkey cuts off the prayer.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Nothing cuts off the prayer.” (Reported by ad-Daraqutni and al-Bayhaqi)
– Bukhari reported from A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said: “You have compared us to donkeys and dogs. By Allah, I have seen the Prophet (peace be upon him) praying while I was lying on the bed between him and the qiblah.” There are also other hadiths that refute this opinion.
Fourthly, reconciling between hadiths:
The principle is that in case of conflicting hadiths, we try to reconcile them and remove any contradiction by interpretation. If reconciliation is not possible, we resort to abrogation if it is applicable. Regarding this hadith, it is said that:
– If we want to consider everything: the term “cutting off” here does not mean nullification, but rather distraction. The barking of a dog, for example, is distracting because it is usually a sign that something is present, such as a bell ringing in the house, which distracts the worshipper. However, it does not invalidate the prayer. As for the donkey, its braying is harsh and it sees things that others cannot see. Muslim reported from the hadith of Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “When you hear the braying of a donkey, seek refuge in Allah from the devil, for it has seen a devil.” As for a woman, she distracts a man by causing him to think, especially if she is permissible to him, and he may desire her, which can lead him away from khushu’ (devotion and humility in prayer), and leaving khushu’ reduces the reward.
– The second opinion is that the first hadith which speaks about “cutting off” was at the beginning and was abrogated by other texts, as evidenced by the earlier story of Ayyash and the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) denial.
Fifthly, in conclusion, I say that these matters are subject to the previous disagreement regarding those who pray outside The Two Venerable Sanctuaries. As for the prayer in The Two Venerable Sanctuaries, passing in front of the worshipper is not prohibited, as stated by the Hanafi scholars and others, in order to alleviate hardship.
Fatwa by Dr. Khālid Naṣr