بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Three things are involved with regards to the Sutra:
1) The Sutra itself
2) The person praying behind it
3) The person trying to cross in front of a person praying
Hadith #180:
This Hadith discusses people who try to cross in front of others when they are praying. If they knew the magnitude of this sin, it would be better for them to wait 40 years before they passed.
Benefits of the Hadith:
1) The general prohibition of passing in front of someone who is praying at any time, or any place.
Hadith #181:
Just as it is prohibited for others to cross in front of the praying person, it is highly recommended for him to put a Sutra in front of him when he is praying.
The Companions asked about the type of the Sutra, and the Prophet ﷺ gave an example in this Hadith.
Ibn Othaimeen رحمه الله makes a comparison between this and ablution. If you do three it is best, but two or one is accepted. Therefore, the best Sutra is to have a long wide Sutra like the back of the saddle, but if you do not have one, there are other options.
Benefits of the Hadith:
1) It was a common practice for the companions to put a Sutra, which is why they asked how it should be, not if they should put one or not.
2) Of the benefits of the Sutra is:
a) To protect the sanctity of prayer. When you put a Sutra it gives the impression that there is sanctity in that particular place.
b) To limit the eyesight of the person praying so that he concentrates in prayer.
c) To secure the person from anyone passing in front of him.
-> You can use other people as a Sutra; telling them to not move when they sit in front of you. Many of the companions used to do this.
Hadith #182:
The arrow is not wide at all. This teaches us that it is not obligatory for the Sutra to be a certain length or width. A water bottle is something similar to an arrow.
From this Hadith you get the notion that it is obligatory to put a Sutra, however there are other Ahadith where the Prophet ﷺ did not, so Ibn Othaimeen رحمه الله says it is highly recommended.
If you want to cross and someone is praying, see how tall that person is (to be on the safe side) and give him that amount in distance so you do not cut their prayer.
Benefits of the Hadith:
1) It is not obligatory to have a Sutra, but it is مستحب (highly recommended). However, it is Haraam for a person to cross in front the praying person;- some Scholars even deem it a Major Sin.
2) A Sutra is recommended for everyone who is praying; including the Imam - but not his followers. Anything that happens to an Imam, such as him breaking his ablution, affects only his prayer and not the followers, save this case. If someone crosses in between the Imam it breaks the prayer of the entire congregation.
3) You can use anything for your Sutra, regardless of the size, even if it is just a line. Your prayer mat is considered your Sutra.
Hadith #183:
The translation is incorrect. No one would know if she has her period or not, it means the person who has reached the age of puberty.
Benefits of the Hadith:
1) Not everyone passing in front of you will invalidate your prayer, just:
-> A woman
-> A donkey
-> black dog
2) We do not need to know the wisdom behind everything. The Prophet ﷺ only explained the wisdom behind a black dog invalidating your prayer - because it is a devil.
Keep in mind that the Shayateen from Jinn are real Devils, but the Shayateen of men are not real Shayateen, but just resemble them. The black dog is the same; it is not a real Shaytan, it is just like them.
There are some explanations of the Scholars regarding the wisdom behind a woman invalidating the prayer of a person, but they are not necessarily correct. Some Scholars say that because she might cause Fitnah for a man, but if she crosses in front of another woman, she invalidates her prayer as well.
We do not know the wisdom, but we say: "سمعنا و أطعنا" (We hear and We Obey)
Perhaps it is a test for us if we will really believe and follow.
If anyone other than the three aforementioned walks in between you and your Sutra, he is sinful, but your prayer is not invalidated.
Side note: The Prayer Mat and Misbah are not sacred or part of the religion, they are just a tool.
3) Ibn Othaimeen رحمه الله was asked about if the dog was black with white spots, he said it does not invalidate the prayer;- Only if it is plain black.
4) Ibn Othaimeen رحمه الله said if you try to push the aforementioned away when they attempt to cross, but they still insist on doing so, they do not invalidate your prayer.
5) If these three come between the Imam and his Sutra, the entire prayer of the congregation is nullified, and this is the only case where the followers prayer is nullified by the nullification of the Imams Prayer.
6) Those who pray in hallways or the area where we make Tawaf around the Ka'bah lose the sanctity of their prayers. You are not sinful if you pass in front of them. Part of the sanctity of your prayer is to choose the proper place to pray; this is considered carelessness.
7) If you see one of those four signs in a woman, she has reached the age of puberty:
a) She has released Maniy.
b) Pubic hair
c) She has reached the age of 15
(even if she didn't have her period)
d) She gets her period.
An explanation is that perhaps Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه did not cross the exact frontage. The ruling that a donkey crossing in front of you nullifies your prayer remains.
Hadith #184:
This is about the person who is praying in connection to the person trying to walk in front of him.
"فليقاتله" - This does not mean real fighting, but to prevent, or push them away forcefully if they insist.
If the situation is like in the Haram, where so many people cross, then stopping everyone will distract you from your prayer. Just continue your prayer.
Benefits of the Hadith:
1) The obligation of preventing someone if he tries to walk in front of you, and if they insist try to push them forcefully. And Fear Allah as much as you are able to.
This is someone who is trying to pass in front of you and where you make Sujood, not beyond that.
2) It they are passing behind your Sutra or out of your area of prostration, you do not have the right to stop them.
3) Those who try to pass between a person and his Sutra are considered Shayateen, because they play the same role as Shaytan; to cut your prayer or distract you from it.
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