The majority hold that once the prayer is broken—whether by minor ritual impurity or by anything else that invalidates it—one may not resume it, save in the single case of a nosebleed alone.

Others maintain that resumption is impermissible even in the event of a nosebleed; this is the position of al-Shāfiʿī. By contrast, the Kūfan jurists allow a worshiper to resume in every case of minor impurity.

The source of their disagreement is that no report from the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—explicitly permits such resumption. The only sound narration concerns Ibn ʿUmar, who suffered a nosebleed while praying, resumed his prayer, and did not renew his ablution. Those who regard the Companion’s action as tantamount to a prophetic ruling—arguing that such a deed could not have been based on personal reasoning—therefore allowed resumption. Among these, those who hold that a nosebleed is not itself a state of impurity permitted resumption in that case alone and extended it no further; this is Mālik’s view. Those who do consider a nosebleed a form of impurity made resumption permissible in all comparable cases by analogy with it. Finally, those who insist that matters of this sort require explicit sanction from the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—argue that consensus affirms a worshiper’s exit from prayer when he turns away from the qiblah or engages in excessive movement; accordingly they forbid resumption after either minor impurity or nosebleed.

Second Issue. The scholars also differed over whether a passing object nullifies the prayer of someone who is praying without a barrier, or when something passes between him and his barrier. The majority held that nothing breaks the prayer and that no repetition is required. A second group, however, ruled that the prayer is broken if a woman, a donkey, or a black dog passes in front of the worshiper.

The reason for this disagreement lies in the apparent conflict between word and deed. Muslim relates from Abū Dharr that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said, “A woman, a donkey, and a black dog break the prayer.” Yet Muslim and al-Bukhārī both transmit from ʿĀʾishah that she said, “I have seen myself lying crosswise, like a bier, in front of the Messenger of God—may God bless him and grant him peace—while he was praying.” Similar support for the majority position is reported from ʿAlī and Ubayy.

All agree, nonetheless, that it is reprehensible to pass in front of a lone worshiper or an imam who is praying without a barrier, or to pass between him and his barrier; they see no harm in passing behind the barrier. Likewise, they find no fault in passing in front of a member of the congregation, for the ḥadīth of Ibn ʿAbbās and others establishes this: “I came riding a she-ass, and at that time I was near the age of puberty, while the Messenger of God—may God bless him and grant him peace—was leading the people in prayer. I passed in front of some of the rows, dismounted, left the she-ass to graze, and entered…”