What is the ruling on a group of people praying together, (not in Jamaah) in rows with just a Sutrah in front of the first row? Does each person need their own Sutrah, or does the one suffice?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

According to the view of the majority of jurists, it is recommended to take a Sutrah (some kind of partition), since the Prophet used to do that from time to time; i.e., sometimes he did not.

In Abu Daawood’s narration, Al-Fadhl reported that “The Prophet prayed in a desert and there was no Sutrah in front of him.”

Another Hadeeth reads: “When anyone of you performs a prayer, he has to take a Sutrah even with an arrow.” [Ahmad in his Al-Musnad]

Some scholars believe that it is a duty to take a Sutrah for a worshipper who fears the passing of others in front of him.

Others believe that it is recommended to take a Sutrah when one performs the prayer in the desert. So, one can act according to each Hadeeth in different locations.

But the dominant opinion is to take a Sutrah for the Imam and the one who performs the prayer alone.

As for the persons who are led in prayer (in congregation), the Sutrah of the Imam is sufficient both for the Imam and for the congregation.

In addition, if the above-mentioned group of people are performing the prayer individually, then each one has to take his own Sutrah; i.e., one Sutrah will not be sufficient for all of them.

For more benefit on the Sutrah, please refer to Fataawa 53945, 84045, 89048, 106812, and 106812.

Allah knows best.