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Fatwa CenterTaking a person as Sutrah during prayer
Question
assalamualaykum, may Allah preserve you. I have seen some muslims taking another person who is sitting or praying(in the mosque) as a sutrah. i know this is a correct thing to do. but then, when the sutrah (i.e the person) leaves, i have seen some muslims moving forward so that they can find another sutrah. i have even seen some of them moving forward 1 or 2 metres. is this a correct thing to do? jazakallah khair..
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
We have already issued Fatwa 84045 clarifying that it is desirable for the Imaam or the person praying individually to put a Sutrah (an object that prevents others from passing in front of him within his praying area). It is permissible for a praying person to take another person praying in front of him or the back of a sitting person as a Sutrah.
However, some jurists 
disliked taking a person who is talking as a Sutrah, lest he would distract him during his prayer.
As regards a praying person moving forward in order to get nearer to the Sutrah, if it is only few steps, then this is permissible. It is confirmed that the Prophet 
prayed while taking a wall in the direction of Qiblah as a Sutrah, then a lamb wanted to pass in front of him, so he kept moving forward in order to prevent it from passing in front of him until his stomach and chest touched the wall, then the lamb passed behind him. [Ahmad and Abu Daawood]
Moreover, the jurists stated that after the Imaam concludes the prayer, it is permissible for a person who is preceded in prayer to walk forward one row, two rows or even three rows in order to have a Sutrah.
Allaah Knows best.
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