One of the things that a
worshipper should strive to do after entering the masjid is to perform his voluntary
prayer towards a sutrah and he should move close to it. Sutrah is legislated
with respect to the Imaam, a worshipper praying alone and the person who misses
part of the prayer with the Imaam when
he stands up to make up what he has missed of the prayer. [This Sunnah should
not be neglected] even if the worshipper is praying in a place where it is not
feared that someone would pass due to the generality of the proofs, which
indicate that every worshipper should pray towards it. This is because the one
passing in front of a worshipper may be among the class that human being cannot
see like the devil.
As regards the legality of
praying towards a sutrah, there is no difference between men and women; yet
there is negligence concerning it. There are some people who perform voluntary
prayers [in the masjid] without praying towards a sutrah. Rather, they observe their
prayers in the middle of the masjid or at the back of it without a sutrah. This
is due to ignorance and lack of understanding in the religion. Women are also
negligent regarding the sutrah. You can hardly find a woman praying in her
house towards a sutrah except in rare cases.
There are statements and actions
in the Sunnah, which indicate that praying towards a sutrah is important. The Prophet
(sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) did it regularly and he did not abandon it
whether in residence or while on a journey; and he enjoined it in a number of
ahaadeeth so much so that some of the people of knowledge opined that it is obligatory.
This is the view of Ahmad, Ibn Khuzaymah, Badar ad-Deen al-‘Aynee, ash-Shawkaanee
and others (may Allah have mercy on all of them). This is a strong view even
though the majority of scholars said it is Sunnah. This is because the command
to make use of sutrah is a general one which has no inference that would change
it from being an obligation. Below are some of these texts:
Aboo Sa’eed al Khudree (may Allaah
be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi
wasallam) said: “When one of you prays, he should pray towards a sutrah and he
should be close to it. He should not allow anyone to pass between him and it.
If anyone tries to pass, he should fight him for he is a devil.”[1]
Ash-Shawkaanee said: This contains a proof that praying towards a sutrah is
obligatory.[2]
Sahl bin Abee Hathmah (may Allaah
be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhin wasallam)
said: “When one of you prays, he should pray towards a sutrah and he should get
close to it so that the devil will not cut off his prayer.”[3]
Sabrah bin Ma’bad al-Juhanee (may
Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi
wasallam) of Allah said: “When one of you prays he should make a sutrah for his
prayer even if it is with an arrow.”[4]
Source: Ahmaam Hudoor
al-Masaajid, p. 117-118 by Shaykh Abdullaah bin Saalih al-Fawzaan (may
Allaah preserve him). See also Sunan Mahjoorah, p. 32-33 by Shaykh
Muhammad Sa’eed Raslaan (may Allaah preserve him)
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