Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind
Short Answer
No, a woman walking in front of you does not break Salah. There are Hadith narrations asserting that this occurrence does nullify (break) the prayer. However, these hadith are interpreted due to other Hadith narrations clarifying that it is not the case.
Hadith
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، ذُكِرَ عِنْدَهَا مَا يَقْطَعُ الصَّلاَةَ الكَلْبُ وَالحِمَارُ وَالمَرْأَةُ، فَقَالَتْ: شَبَّهْتُمُونَا بِالحُمُرِ وَالكِلاَبِ، وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي وَإِنِّي عَلَى السَّرِيرِ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ القِبْلَةِ مُضْطَجِعَةً، فَتَبْدُو لِي الحَاجَةُ، فَأَكْرَهُ أَنْ أَجْلِسَ، فَأُوذِيَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَنْسَلُّ مِنْ عِنْدِ رِجْلَيْهِ
The things which nullify prayer were mentioned in (Sayidah Aishah’s) presence. A dog, a donkey and a woman were mentioned. She (May Allah Most High be pleased with her) said, ‘You have equated us (women) with donkeys and dogs. By Allah, I saw the Prophet ﷺ praying while I was lying on the bed between him and the Qibla. If I needed something, I disliked to sit and thus trouble the Prophet ﷺ. So, I would slip away by its (the bed’s) legs.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, 514).
The Hadith above demonstrates that a woman being, or passing, in front of someone when praying does not nullify (break) the prayer (Salah). However, we must consider this narration when discussing the following Hadith which asserts that a woman does nullify a person’s prayer:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: يَقْطَعُ الصَّلَاةَ الْمَرْأَةُ وَالْحِمَارُ وَالْكَلْبُ، وَيَقِي ذَلِكَ مِثْلُ مُؤْخِرَةِ الرَّحْلِ
(Sayidina) Abu Hurairah (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘A woman, a donkey and a dog disrupt the prayer, but something like the back of a saddle, guards against it.’ (Sahih Muslim, 511 – 266).
Some scholars explained that a woman has been mentioned in the above Hadith due to menstruation. Meaning, if she is menstruating, then she may be carrying impurity. Further, this notion is supported by the narration in Abi Dawood:
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ – رَفَعَهُ شُعْبَةُ – قَالَ: يَقْطَعُ الصَّلَاةَ الْمَرْأَةُ الْحَائِضُ وَالْكَلْبُ
(Sayidina Abdullah) Ibn Abbas (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) narrated from the Prophet ﷺ: ‘A menstruating woman and a dog disrupt prayer (Salah).’ (Abu Dawood, 703).
As well as the Hadith of Sayidah Ayeshah above, there are numerous other proofs to support the opinion that the Hadith asserting prayer is nullified if a woman walks in front of the individual praying is not to be acted upon. Additionally, the Hadith in question also mentions that a donkey passing in front of one nullifies the prayer too. Yet, there are narrations that negate this:
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ: أَقْبَلْتُ رَاكِبًا عَلَى حِمَارٍ أَتَانٍ، وَأَنَا يَوْمَئِذٍ قَدْ نَاهَزْتُ الِاحْتِلاَمَ، وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي بِمِنًى إِلَى غَيْرِ جِدَارٍ، فَمَرَرْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ بَعْضِ الصَّفِّ، وَأَرْسَلْتُ الأَتَانَ تَرْتَعُ، فَدَخَلْتُ فِي الصَّفِّ، فَلَمْ يُنْكَرْ ذَلِكَ عَلَيَّ
(Sayidina) Abdullah ibn Abbas (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) said: ‘I was riding a she-ass when I was close to the age of maturity. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was praying Salah at Mina. There was no wall in front of him ﷺ. I passed in front of some of the rows. Then I let the she-ass loose to graze and entered the row. Nobody objected to it.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, 76).
عَنْ أَنَسٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ فَمَرَّ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ حِمَارٌ فَقَالَ عَيَّاشُ بْنُ أَبِي رَبِيعَةَ: سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ. فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: مَنِ الْمُسَبِّحُ آنِفًا سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ أَنَّ الْحِمَارَ يَقْطَعُ الصَّلَاةَ. قَالَ: لَا يَقْطَعُ الصَّلَاةَ شَيْءٌ
(Sayidina) Anas (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ led the people in prayer (Salah). A donkey passed in front of them. Ayyash bin Abi Rabi’ah said, Subhan Allah Subhan Allah Subhan Allah. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made Salam (i.e. completed the prayer) he said, ‘Who was glorifying just now?’ He (Ayyash) said, me O Messenger of Allah ﷺ. For indeed I heard that a donkey nullifies prayer. He ﷺ said, ‘Nothing nullifies the prayer.’ (Sunan al-Darqutni, 1380).
This narration from Sunan al-Darqutni is Hasan according to Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani (see al-Dirayah).
Classical scholars
The Hanafi Madhab gave preference to the narrations negating the passing of a woman nullifying the Salah. As such, scholars suggested that the other narrations are either abrogated or interpreted.
والمتأخر ناسخ للمتقدم؛ وذلك لأن قول ابن عباس هذا بعد النبي – عليه السلام – يدل على أنه قد ثبت عنده ارتفاع حكم ما رواه قيل ذلك، فيكون قوله دلالة للتأريخ، وقد أجاب بعضهم عن أحاديث القطع بأن المراد بالقطع: المبالغة في الخوف على فسادها بالشغل بهم. (نخب الأفكار في تنقيح مباني الأخبار في شرح معاني الآثار)
The later text abrogates the earlier one. This is because this statement of (Sayidina Abdullah) Ibn Abbas was after the Prophet ﷺ. So it proves that he was convinced that the ruling of what he had previously narrated was abrogated. So, his statement is proof of chronology.
Some provided a different answer, saying that the narrations of cutting (nullifying) refer to a fear of being distracted by them and thus nullifying the prayer. (Imam Badr al-Deen al-Ayni, Nukhab al-Afkaar).
As seen in the Nass (text) above, Imam al-Ayni suggested an interpretation for the narrations asserting that a woman passing in front of someone praying breaks (nullifies) the prayer. He suggested that it could become a distraction and cause one to nullify the prayer. Imam al-Nawawi agreed with interpretation, although he presented a differed interpretation. Further, he also asserted that interpretation is the view of the majority of scholars.
وَتَأَول الْجُمْهُور الْقطع الْمَذْكُور عَلَى قطع الذّكر، والخشوع للْجمع بَين الْأَحَادِيث. (خلاصة الأحكام)
The interpretation of the majority is that cutting (nullifying) here refers to interrupting remembrance and humility (not the prayer itself). This reconciles between the narrations. (Imam Yahya bin Sharaf al-Nawawi, Khulasatu al-Ahkaam).
Conclusion
The position of Hanafi scholars and the majority of scholars (according to Imam al-Nawawi) is that a woman passing in front of a person praying does not nullify the prayer. However, it is generally sinful to pass in front of someone who is praying, so it must be avoided.
And Allah Most High Knows Best.
–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (10.05.23)
