Sutrah in Prayer
Total Hadiths 10
Authentic Hadiths on Using a Sutrah During Prayer
These authentic collections emphasize the vital role of using a sutrah (a barrier) while praying to maintain focus and spiritual security. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) instructed that the height of a barrier should be at least equal to the back of a camel saddle. Throughout his life, he utilized various objects as a barrier, such as setting up a short spear during travel or positioning himself close to a pillar, leaving around three forearm's length from the wall inside the Ka'bah. According to these traditions, standing close to your barrier prevents disruptions, ensuring that forces like Shaitan do not sever or diminish the rewards of your prayer. Without an adequate object placed in front of a person praying, passing entities—specifically a woman, a donkey, or a black dog—can nullify the prayer, reinforcing the critical necessity of this simple practice.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ تُرْكَزُ الْحَرْبَةُ قُدَّامَهُ يَوْمَ الْفِطْرِ وَالنَّحْرِ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي.
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
On the day of `Id-ul-Fitr and `Id-ul-Adha a spear used to be planted in front of the Prophet (as a Sutra for the prayer) and then he would pray.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 972In-book reference : Book 13, Hadith 21USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 2, Book 15, Hadith 89
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَمْرٍو، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي نَافِعٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَغْدُو إِلَى الْمُصَلَّى، وَالْعَنَزَةُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، تُحْمَلُ وَتُنْصَبُ بِالْمُصَلَّى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَيُصَلِّي إِلَيْهَا.
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) used to proceed to the Musalla and an 'Anaza used to be carried before him and planted in the Musalla in front of him and he would pray facing it (as a Sutra).
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 973In-book reference : Book 13, Hadith 22USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 2, Book 15, Hadith 90
أَخْبَرَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا نَافِعٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ كَانَ يَرْكُزُ الْحَرْبَةَ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي إِلَيْهَا .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
Narrated Ibn Umar: It was narrated from Ibn Umar concerning the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) he said: "He used to set up a short spear then pray facing toward it."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 747In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 6English translation : Vol. 1, Book 9, Hadith 748
أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يُخْرِجُ الْعَنَزَةَ يَوْمَ الْفِطْرِ وَيَوْمَ الأَضْحَى يُرْكِزُهَا فَيُصَلِّي إِلَيْهَا .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to take out an 'Anazah (a short spear) on the day of Al-Fitr and the day of Al-Adha, plant it in the ground, and pray facing toward it.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1565In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 10English translation : Vol. 2, Book 19, Hadith 1566
أَخْبَرَنَا الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الدُّورِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَيْوَةُ بْنُ شُرَيْحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَسْوَدِ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، - رضى الله عنها - قَالَتْ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ عَنْ سُتْرَةِ الْمُصَلِّي فَقَالَ " مِثْلُ مُؤْخِرَةِ الرَّحْلِ " .
A'isha Narrated from:
The messenger of Allah(ﷺ) was asked during the campaign of Tabuk about the Sutra of one who is praying. He said: "Something as high as the back of a camel saddle."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 746In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 5English translation : Vol. 1, Book 9, Hadith 747
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، وَالْحَارِثُ بْنُ مِسْكِينٍ، قِرَاءَةً عَلَيْهِ وَأَنَا أَسْمَعُ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَاسِمِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَخَلَ الْكَعْبَةَ هُوَ وَأُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ وَبِلاَلٌ وَعُثْمَانُ بْنُ طَلْحَةَ الْحَجَبِيُّ فَأَغْلَقَهَا عَلَيْهِ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ فَسَأَلْتُ بِلاَلاً حِينَ خَرَجَ مَاذَا صَنَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ جَعَلَ عَمُودًا عَنْ يَسَارِهِ وَعَمُودَيْنِ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَثَلاَثَةَ أَعْمِدَةٍ وَرَاءَهُ - وَكَانَ الْبَيْتُ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَلَى سِتَّةِ أَعْمِدَةٍ - ثُمَّ صَلَّى وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجِدَارِ نَحْوًا مِنْ ثَلاَثَةِ أَذْرُعٍ .
`Abdullah bin `Umar Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the Ka'bah with Usamah bin Zaid, Bilal and Uthman bin Talha al Hajabi, and locked the door behind him. Abdullah bin Umar said: "I asked Bilal when he came out: " What did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) do?" He said: "He stood with one pillar to his left, two pillars to his right and three pillars behind him - at that time the House stood on six pillars - and he prayed with approximately three forearm's length between him and the wall."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 749In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 8English translation : Vol. 1, Book 9, Hadith 750
أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا يَزِيدُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ هِلاَلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِذَا كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ قَائِمًا يُصَلِّي فَإِنَّهُ يَسْتُرُهُ إِذَا كَانَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِثْلُ آخِرَةِ الرَّحْلِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِثْلُ آخِرَةِ الرَّحْلِ فَإِنَّهُ يَقْطَعُ صَلاَتَهُ الْمَرْأَةُ وَالْحِمَارُ وَالْكَلْبُ الأَسْوَدُ " . قُلْتُ مَا بَالُ الأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الأَصْفَرِ مِنَ الأَحْمَرِ فَقَالَ سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَمَا سَأَلْتَنِي فَقَالَ " الْكَلْبُ الأَسْوَدُ شَيْطَانٌ " .
Abu Dharr Narrated from:
The messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said: "When anyone of you stands to pray, then he is screened if he has in front of him something as high as the back of a camel saddle. If he does not have something as high as the back of a camel saddle in front of him, then his prayer is nullified by a woman, a donkey or a black dog." I (one of the narrators)said: "What is the difference between a black dog, a yellow one and a red one?" He said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) just like you and he said:"The black dog is a shaitan."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 750In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 9English translation : Vol. 1, Book 9, Hadith 751
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ قَزَعَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ،. وَقَالَ اللَّيْثُ حَدَّثَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، حَدَّثَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، أَقْبَلَ يَسِيرُ عَلَى حِمَارٍ، وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَائِمٌ بِمِنًى فِي حَجَّةِ الْوَدَاعِ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ، فَسَارَ الْحِمَارُ بَيْنَ يَدَىْ بَعْضِ الصَّفِّ، ثُمَّ نَزَلَ عَنْهُ، فَصَفَّ مَعَ النَّاسِ.
`Abdullah bin `Abbas Narrated from:
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Abbas: That he came riding a donkey when Allah 's Apostle was standing at Mina during Hajjat-ul-Wada`, leading the people in prayer. The donkey passed in front of a part of the row (of the people offering the prayer). Then he dismounted from it and took his position in the row with the people.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4412In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 434USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 696
أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ سُلَيْمٍ، عَنْ نَافِعِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ أَبِي حَثْمَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَى سُتْرَةٍ فَلْيَدْنُ مِنْهَا لاَ يَقْطَعُ الشَّيْطَانُ عَلَيْهِ صَلاَتَهُ " .
Sahl bin Abi Hathmah Narrated from:
When anyone of you prays toward a Sutra, let him get close to it and not allow the Shaitan to sever his prayer for him.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 748In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 7English translation : Vol. 1, Book 9, Hadith 749
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ عَوْنِ بْنِ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَرَجَ فِي حُلَّةٍ حَمْرَاءَ فَرَكَزَ عَنَزَةً فَصَلَّى إِلَيْهَا يَمُرُّ مِنْ وَرَائِهَا الْكَلْبُ وَالْمَرْأَةُ وَالْحِمَارُ .
'Awn bin Abi Juhaifah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) went out in a red Hullah, and he set up a short spear (Anazah) and prayed facing toward it, while dogs, women and donkeys were passing beyond it.
[1] Usually referring to two pieces made of the same material.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 772In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 31English translation : Vol. 1, Book 9, Hadith 773
