Once I came riding a she-ass when I had just attained the age of puberty. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was offering
the prayer at Mina with no wall in front of him and I passed in front of some of the row. There I
dismounted and let my she-ass loose to graze and entered the row and nobody objected to me about it.
Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came out on `Id day, he used to order that a Harba [??] (a short spear) to be
planted in front of him (as a Sutra for his prayer) and then he used to pray facing it with the people
behind him and used to do the same while on a journey. After the Prophet (ﷺ) , this practice was adopted
by the Muslim rulers (who followed his traditions).
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 9, Hadith 473
Hadith 495
Chapter 90: The Sutra of the Imam is also a Sutra for those who are behind him - كتاب الصلاة
Narrated `Aun bin Abi Juhaifa:
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَوْنِ بْنِ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبِي أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلَّى بِهِمْ بِالْبَطْحَاءِ ـ وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ عَنَزَةٌ ـ الظُّهْرَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، وَالْعَصْرَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، تَمُرُّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ الْمَرْأَةُ وَالْحِمَارُ.
I heard my father saying, "The Prophet (ﷺ) led us, and prayed a two-rak`at Zuhr prayer and then a tworak`
at `Asr prayer at Al-Batha' [??] with a short spear (planted) in front of him (as a Sutra) while
women and donkeys were passing in front of him (beyond that stick).
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 9, Hadith 477
Hadith 499
Chapter 93: To offer As-Salat (the prayer) using an 'Anaza (a spear-headed stick) (as a Sutra) - كتاب الصلاة
Narrated `Aun bin Abi Juhaifa:
حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَوْنُ بْنُ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبِي قَالَ، خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالْهَاجِرَةِ، فَأُتِيَ بِوَضُوءٍ فَتَوَضَّأَ فَصَلَّى بِنَا الظُّهْرَ وَالْعَصْرَ وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ عَنَزَةٌ، وَالْمَرْأَةُ وَالْحِمَارُ يَمُرُّونَ مِنْ وَرَائِهَا.
that he had heard his father saying, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to us at midday and water was brought for
his ablution. He performed ablution and led us in Zuhr and `Asr prayers with a short stpear (or stick)
planted in front of him (as a Sutra), while women and donkeys were passing beyond it."
Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) went for answering the call of nature, I and another boy used to go after him
with a staff, a stick or a short spear (or stick) and a tumbler of water and when he finished from
answering the call of nature we would hand that tumbler of water to him.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 9, Hadith 479
Hadith 501
Chapter 94: Sutra (for the prayer)in Makkah and elsewhere. - كتاب الصلاة
Narrated Abu Juhaifa:
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنِ الْحَكَمِ، عَنْ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ، قَالَ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالْهَاجِرَةِ فَصَلَّى بِالْبَطْحَاءِ الظُّهْرَ وَالْعَصْرَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، وَنَصَبَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ عَنَزَةً، وَتَوَضَّأَ، فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَتَمَسَّحُونَ بِوَضُوئِهِ.
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came out at midday and offered a two-rak`at Zuhr and `Asr prayers at Al-Batha and a
short spear (or stick) was planted in front of him (as a Sutra). He performed ablution and the people
took the remaining water left after his ablution and rubbed their bodies with it.
I used to accompany Salama bin Al-Akwa` and he used to pray behind the pillar which was near the
place where the Qur'ans were kept. I said, "O Abu Muslim! I see you always seeking to pray behind
this pillar." He replied, "I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) always seeking to pray near that pillar."
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 9, Hadith 481
Hadith 503
Chapter 95: To offer As-Salat (the prayer) facing a pillar - كتاب الصلاة
Narrated Anas:
حَدَّثَنَا قَبِيصَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَامِرٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ كِبَارَ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَبْتَدِرُونَ السَّوَارِيَ عِنْدَ الْمَغْرِبِ. وَزَادَ شُعْبَةُ عَنْ عَمْرٍو عَنْ أَنَسٍ حَتَّى يَخْرُجَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم.
I saw the most famous people amongst the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) hurrying towards the pillars at
the Maghrib prayer before the Prophet (ﷺ) came for the prayer.
The Prophet (ﷺ) entered the Ka`ba along with Usama bin Zaid, `Uthman bin Talha and Bilal and remained
there for a long time. When they came out, I was the first man to enter the Ka`ba. I asked Bilal
"Where did the Prophet (ﷺ) pray?" Bilal replied, "Between the two front Pillars."
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 9, Hadith 483
Hadith 505
Chapter 96: To offer non-congregational As-Salat (the prayers) between the pillars - كتاب الصلاة
Narrated Nafi`:
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَخَلَ الْكَعْبَةَ وَأُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ وَبِلاَلٌ وَعُثْمَانُ بْنُ طَلْحَةَ الْحَجَبِيُّ فَأَغْلَقَهَا عَلَيْهِ وَمَكَثَ فِيهَا، فَسَأَلْتُ بِلاَلاً حِينَ خَرَجَ مَا صَنَعَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ جَعَلَ عَمُودًا عَنْ يَسَارِهِ، وَعَمُودًا عَنْ يَمِينِهِ، وَثَلاَثَةَ أَعْمِدَةٍ وَرَاءَهُ، وَكَانَ الْبَيْتُ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَلَى سِتَّةِ أَعْمِدَةٍ، ثُمَّ صَلَّى. وَقَالَ لَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ وَقَالَ عَمُودَيْنِ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ.
`Abdullah bin `Umar said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) entered the Ka`ba along with Usama bin Zaid, Bilal and
`Uthman bin Talha Al-Hajabi and closed the door and stayed there for some time. I asked Bilal when
he came out, 'What did the Prophet (ﷺ) do?' He replied, 'He offered prayer with one pillar to his left and
one to his right and three behind.' In those days the Ka`ba was supported by six pillars." Malik said:
"There were two pillars on his (the Prophet's) right side."
Whenever 'Abdullah entered the Ka'bah, he used to go ahead leaving the door of the Ka'bah behind him. He would proceed on till the remaining distance between him and the opposite wall about three cubits. Then he would off prayer there where the Prophet (ﷺ) had offered Salat, as Bilal informed me. Ibn 'Umar said, "It does not matter for any of us to offer prayers at any place inside the Ka'bah."
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 8, Hadith 484
Hadith 507
Chapter 98: To offer As-Salat (the prayer) facing a Rahila camel, a tree or a camel saddle as a Sutra). - كتاب الصلاة
Narrated Nafi`:
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الْمُقَدَّمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعْتَمِرٌ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ كَانَ يُعَرِّضُ رَاحِلَتَهُ فَيُصَلِّي إِلَيْهَا. قُلْتُ أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِذَا هَبَّتِ الرِّكَابُ. قَالَ كَانَ يَأْخُذُ هَذَا الرَّحْلَ فَيُعَدِّلُهُ فَيُصَلِّي إِلَى آخِرَتِهِ ـ أَوْ قَالَ مُؤَخَّرِهِ ـ وَكَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَفْعَلُهُ.
"The Prophet (ﷺ) used to make his she-camel sit across and he would pray facing it (as a Sutra)." I asked,
"What would the Prophet (ﷺ) do if the she-camel was provoked and moved?" He said, "He would take its
camel-saddle and put it in front of him and pray facing its back part (as a Sutra). And Ibn `Umar used
to do the same." (This indicates that one should not pray except behind a Sutra).
Do you make us (women) equal to dogs and donkeys? While I used to lie in my bed, the Prophet (ﷺ)
would come and pray facing the middle of the bed. I used to consider it not good to stand in front of
him in his prayers. So I used to slip away slowly and quietly from the foot of the bed till I got out of
my guilt.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, (what is ascribed to him in the following Hadith):
Narrated Abu Salih As-Samman:
I saw Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri praying on a Friday, behind something which acted as a Sutra. A young
man from Bani Abi Mu'ait [??] , wanted to pass in front of him, but Abu Sa`id repulsed him with a
push on his chest. Finding no alternative he again tried to pass but Abu Sa`id pushed him with a
greater force. The young man abused Abu Sa`id and went to Marwan and lodged a complaint against
Abu Sa`id and Abu Sa`id followed the young man to Marwan who asked him, "O Abu Sa`id! What
has happened between you and the son of your brother?" Abu Sa`id said to him, "I heard the Prophet (ﷺ)
saying, 'If anybody amongst you is praying behind something as a Sutra and somebody tries to pass in
front of him, then he should repulse him and if he refuses, he should use force against him for he is a
Shaitan (a Satan).' "
that Zaid bin Khalid sent him to Abi Juhaim to ask him what he had heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about
a person passing in front of another person who was praying. Abu Juhaim replied, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)
said, 'If the person who passes in front of another person in prayer knew the magnitude of his sin he
would prefer to wait for 40 (days, months or years) rather than to pass in front of him." Abu An-Nadr
said, "I do not remember exactly whether he said 40 days, months or years."