Wabrah said: ‘I have never seen a person who hates that one passes before him while doing Sal?t more than Ibr?h?m An-Nakh‘? and Abdur Rahm?n Ibn Al-Aswad’. (1)

[1/ 53] The apparent meaning of the general statement in the had?th “before the hands of the praying person” is that passing in front of a praying person is prohibited whether the latter is performing Sal?t towards a Sutrah or not, for the prophet ( - ) did not distinguish between the two cases.

‘Some held that one is permitted to pass in front of a praying person if the latter ignored placing a Sutrah in front of him such as: doing Sal?t in a street or in the entrances people use. This opinion; however, rests on no hard evidence at all; it is not even a view of any of the Salaf. And the more worth it; it contradicts the meaning stated in the had?th that ‘the one who passes in front of a praying person would prefer to stand for forty years than to pass’. Is there any praying person whose Sal?t extends forty minutes the thing that would cause inconvenience for other people and hence the need to deliver such a ruling in All?h’s ( - ) religion by a mere opinion and so considering such an act as not one of the Kab?’ir [grave sins]?! O All?h ( - ) we are free of letting the rein loose for the opinions of mind when dealing with your religion and [O All?h ( - )] we ask You to help us commit ourselves to Your rulings and not go beyond your limits’. (2)

[2/ 53] The prohibition in the had?th is specified with “passing before the hands of the praying person”.

The words “before the hands of the praying person” mean in front of him and being close to him. The word “hands” is used figuratively since all the acts one does during Sal?t are done using one’s hands. There was a disagreement regarding the distance one must not pass beyond in front of a praying person. Some limited it