Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (3/275)

As for his command, the Prophet ﷺ said: “When any one of you prays, let him pray facing a sutrah, even if it is an arrow.” (1)

As for his practice, during his journeys a short spear would be planted for the Prophet ﷺ, and he would pray facing it. (2)

The wisdom behind the sutrah is as follows:

First: it prevents a person’s prayer from being diminished—or invalidated—if someone passes beyond it.

Second: it shields the worshipper’s gaze, especially when it is an upright object—that is, something with physical substance—for it helps the worshipper to be present in heart and to restrain his gaze.

Third: it entails complying with the Prophet’s ﷺ command and following his guidance. Everything that involves obeying Allah and His Messenger, or following the Messenger’s ﷺ guidance, is good.

His statement, “It is recommended to pray facing a sutrah,” apparently applies whether one is travelling or resident, and whether one fears that someone may pass in front of him or does not fear this, because of the general nature of the evidence on the matter.

Some scholars said that if he does not fear that someone will pass in front of him, it is not recommended

(1) Reported by Imam Ahmad, 3:404; Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 810, who authenticated it; and al-Hakim, 1:252, who said: “Authentic according to the criteria of Muslim.” (2) Reported by al-Bukhari, Book of Prayer, chapter: Prayer Facing a Short Spear as a Sutrah, no. 499; and Muslim, Book of Prayer, chapter: The Sutrah of the Worshipper, no. 503 (249).

أما أمْرُه فإن النبيَّ ﷺ قال: «إذا صَلَّى أحدُكم فَلْيَسْتَتِرْ، ولو بسهم» (١). وأما فِعْلُه فقد كان النبيُّ ﵊ تُرْكَزُ له العَنَزة في أسفاره فيُصلِّي إليها (٢). والحكمة مِن السُّترة: أولاً: تَمْنَعُ نقصان صلاة المرء، أو بطلانها إذا مَرَّ أحدٌ مِن ورائها. ثانياً: أنَّها تحجُب نَظَرَ المصلِّي، ولا سيما إذا كانت شاخصة، أي: لها جِرْمٌ فإنها تُعين المصلِّي على حضور قلبه، وحَجْبِ بَصَرِه. ثالثاً: أن فيها امتثالاً لأمر النبيِّ ﷺ واتباعاً لهديه، وكلُّ ما كان امتثالاً لأمر الله ورسوله، أو اتباعاً لهدي الرسول ﵊ فإنَّه خير. وقوله: «تُسَنُّ صلاتُه إلى سُتْرَة» ظاهره: أنَّه سواء كان في سَفَرٍ أم في حَضَرٍ، وسواء خشي مارًّا أم لم يخشَ مارًّا، لعموم الأدلة في ذلك. وقال بعض أهل العلم: إنه إذا لم يخشَ مارًّا فلا تُسَنُّ

(١) أخرجه الإمام أحمد (٣/ ٤٠٤)؛ وابن خزيمة (٨١٠) وصححه؛ والحاكم (١/ ٢٥٢) وقال: «صحيح على شرط مسلم». (٢) أخرجه البخاري، كتاب الصلاة، باب الصلاة إلى العنزة (٤٩٩)؛ ومسلم، كتاب الصلاة، باب سترة المصلي (٥٠٣) (٢٤٩).