Praise be to Allah.
What can be used as Sutrah?
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymin (May Allah have mercy on him) said:
“It is permissible for a worshipper to use anything as a Sutrah [an object placed in front of him to “screen” him whilst he is praying], even if it is an arrow. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When any one of you prays, let him place a Sutrah for his prayer, even if it is an arrow.” (Narrated by Ahmad, 14916; classed as authentic by Al-Albani in As-Silsilah As-Sahihah, 2783)
The scholars even said: “He can screen himself with a thread or the edge of the rug. Indeed it says in the Hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said whoever cannot find a stick, let him draw a line, as it says in the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When any one of you prays, let him face towards something, and if he cannot find anything, let him use a stick, and if he does not have a stick, let him draw a line, then it will not matter whatever passes in front of him .” (Narrated by Imam Ahmad. Ibn Hajar said in Bulugh Al-Maram: Those who said that this Hadith is inauthentic are incorrect; rather it is sound.”
All of this indicates that the Sutrah does not have to be big, rather it is sufficient for it to be something that indicates that it is serving as a screen.
Is it permissible to put shoes as Sutrah?
There is no doubt that shoes are big and three dimensional, but I think that they should not be used as a Sutrah , because shoes are customarily regarded as dirty, and you should not have them in front of you, when you are standing before Allah . Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade worshippers to spit in front of them so that the sputum would be in front of them, and he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “For Allah is in front of him [the worshipper].” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 406) (Fatawa Ibn `Uthaymin, 13/326)
For more details, please refer to the following answers: 118153 , 13700 , 117758 , and 126664 .
And Allah knows best.
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