ESTABLISHING THE SUTRAH The Prophet (SAW) said, "Do not pray except towards a sutrah, and do not let anyone pass in front of you, but if someone continues (to try to pass) then fight him, for he has a companion (i.e. a Shaitan) with him." (Sahih - Al-Bukhari and Ahmad) "When he (SAW) prayed (in an open space where there was nothing to use as a sutrah) he would plant a spear in the ground in front of him and pray towards it with the people behind him." (Sahih - Al-Bukhari and Muslim) The Prophet (SAW) said, "When one of you places in front of him something such as the stick on the end of a saddle, he should pray and not mind anyone who passes beyond it." (Sahih - Muslim and Abu Dawood) ’Anas said: ‘I saw the prophet’s Sahābah rushing towards the poles of the mosque -to perform the two Rak‘ah obtional Salāt between the sunset ’Athan the prophet’s coming [to lead the Salāt]. Nāfi’ said: ‘Ibn ‘Umar -who never did his Salāt but towards a Sutrah’-used to do it towards one of the mosque’s poles. In case they are all occupied [with praying muslims] he used to ask me to turn my back to him as a Sutrah’. Salamah Ibn Al-’Akwa’used to heap up stones and perform his Salāt towards them. The previous ‘Athar indicates the affirmed obligation of performing Salāt towards a Sutrah whether in indoor or outdoor places. This is the prophet’s Sunnah, as Ash- Shawkānī stated. The eminent ‘Ālim, As-Safārīnī said: ‘It is indeed recommended that one does his/ her Salāt towards a sutrah even if there is no chance of some one passing in front of him/her’. Imām Mālik held the opposite opinion regarding the last part of As-Safārīnī’s opinion and Ibn ‘Aqīl Al-Hanbalī stated in his “Al-Wādih” that the Sutrah should be a wall or something prominent. Imām Ahmad held the opinion that a Sutrah should be wide’. The soundest of all opinions is that the order of taking a Sutrah is a general and a comprehensive one that should not be restricted to certain times, places or shapes. The reasons previously mentioned [by the Imāms] are mere mental deductions that stand on no hard evidences. Imām Mālik’s opinion ignores the many ahādīth that assert the necessity of doing one’s Salāt towards a Sutrah. Besides, those whom you are not able to see i.e. -Shaitān- may pass in front of your as is clearly stated in the prophet’s ahādīth and shown in his deeds’
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 06:44:01 +0000