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Why does a woman interrupt a man’s prayer?

15-03-2003

Question 12717

Why is it that a woman interrupts a man's prayer if she passes in front of him?.

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly: 

The Muslim has to accept the rulings of sharee’ah, whether he understands the reasons behind them or not. 

Secondly: 

Women are not impure (naajis), but some of the scholars said that the reason why a woman interrupts the prayer is that women are a temptation for men.  

Thirdly: 

There is a saheeh hadeeth in which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that these three interrupt prayer if they pass in front of a praying man if he has not placed an object to serve as a sutrah [screen], or if they pass between him and his sutrah. ( See question no. 3404 ) . So we must accept and submit to the rulings of Allaah, and follow them. What is meant by interrupting the prayer is that the prayer is rendered invalid, according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions. 

And Allaah is the Source of strength. 

Al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta’, 17/12.

Rulings on prayer
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