Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind
Short Answer
No, walking in front of someone praying does not break their prayer (Salah, Namaz). However, it is usually sinful to walk across someone who is praying, and so it must be avoided.
Hadith
فَقَالَ أَبُو جُهَيْمٍ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: لَوْ يَعْلَمُ المَارُّ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ المُصَلِّي مَاذَا عَلَيْهِ، لَكَانَ أَنْ يَقِفَ أَرْبَعِينَ خَيْرًا لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَمُرَّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ. قَالَ أَبُو النَّضْرِ: لاَ أَدْرِي، أَقَالَ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا، أَوْ شَهْرًا، أَوْ سَنَةً
Abu Juhaim (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘If the one who passes in front of a person in prayer (Salah, Namaz), knew the magnitude of his burden (sin) he would prefer to wait for forty rather than to pass in front of him.’ Abu al-Nadr (one of the narrators) said, ‘I do not remember whether he said forty days, months or years.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, 510).
The Hadith above establishes the sin of walking in front of or across someone who is praying Salah (Namaz). However, it does not consider the Salah to be invalid. Therefore, this Hadith cannot be used as evidence to affirm the nullification of prayer (Salah, Namaz).
As well as the lack of evidence in the above Hadith, there is also a Hadith narration explicitly mentioning that prayer (Salah, Namaz) is not nullified by people walking in front of or across a person who is praying.
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).
Similar Hadith narrations are found is in Sunnan Abi Dawood (719 and 720), Musanaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (2883), Tabarani (al-Awsat 1965 and 7774) and others. There are also statements of numerous Sahabah (Mowquf) establishing the same point. Namely, prayer is not nullified by one walking in front of a person praying.
This act does not nullify prayer
Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani considered the above narration from al-Darqutni to be Hasan.
وَأخرج الدَّارَقُطْنِيّ من رِوَايَة عمر بن عبد الْعَزِيز عَن أنس أَن رَسُول الله صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم َ صَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ فَمر بَين أَيْديهم حمَار فَقَالَ عَيَّاش بن أبي ربيعَة سُبْحَانَ الله فَلَمَّا سلم قَالَ من المسبح آنِفا قَالَ أَنا يَا رَسُول الله إِنِّي سَمِعت الْحمار يقطع الصَّلَاة فَقَالَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم َ لَا يقطع الصَّلَاة شَيْء وَإِسْنَاده حسن. (الدراية في تخريج أحاديث الهداية)
(Imam) al-Darqutni narrated from Umar bin Abd al-Aziz from (Sayidina) Anas that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ led the people in prayer (Salah). A donkey passed in front of them. So, Ayyash bin Abi Rabi’ah said, 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. I heard that a donkey nullifies prayer. He ﷺ said, ‘Nothing nullifies the prayer.’ The chain is Hasan. (Imam Ahmad bin Ali bin Hajr al-Asqalani, al-Dirayah).
There is a lack of evidence to substantiate the view that a person walking in front of or across someone praying nullifies or breaks that person’s prayer (Salah, Namaz). There is also explicit evidence to the contrary. For this reason, the Hanafi scholars held the position that people walking across one during Salah does not nullify the prayer.
This act is sinful
مر مار في موضع سجوده لا تفسد وإن أثم المار. (نور الإيضاح ونجاة الأرواح)
If a passer-by passes at the place of Sajdah, then it (Salah, Namaz) will not be nullified. Although the passerby will be sinful. (Imam Hasan bin Amaar al-Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idaah).
(قَوْلُهُ وَإِنْ أَثِمَ الْمَارُّ) مُبَالَغَةً عَلَى عَدَمِ الْفَسَادِ لِأَنَّ الْإِثْمَ لَا يَسْتَلْزِمُ الْفَسَادَ. (رد المحتار على الدر المختار)
His saying: Although the one passing will be sinful. This is to emphasise that the prayer (Salah, Namaz) will not be nullified. Since the sin does not necessitate nullification (of the Salah). (Imam Muhammad bin Amin Ibn Abideen, Radd al-Muhtaar).
لَا يُفْسِدُ الصَّلَاةَ (وَإِنْ أَثِمَ) الْمَارُّ. (درر الحكام شرح غرر الأحكام)
The prayer is not nullified. Although the passer-by is sinful. (Mulla Khusru, Durar al-Hukkaam).
المرور بين يدي المصلي مكروه والمار آثم. (المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني)
Passing in front of someone who is praying is Makruh (disliked). The one passing is sinful. (Imam Burhan al-Deen al-Bukhari, al-Muheet al-Burhani).
وَبِهَذَا عُلِمَ أَنَّ الْكَرَاهَةَ تَحْرِيمِيَّةٌ لِتَصْرِيحِهِمْ بِالْإِثْمِ وَهُوَ الْمُرَادُ بِقَوْلِهِ وَإِنْ أَثِمَ الْمَارُّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ. (البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق)
Due to this it is recognized that the dislike (Makruh) is Tahreemi because they explicitly mentioned it is sinful. This is what is meant by his saying, the one who passes in front of him is sinful. (Imam Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahr al-Raiq).
From the above, we can clearly see that the Hanafi scholars held the position that people walking across one during prayer (Salah, Namaz) is sinful but does not nullify the prayer.
And Allah Most High Knows Best.
–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (05.07.23)
