Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
I would like to know something about the sutrah (barrier placed in front of a person praying). Can a curtain hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room act as a sutrah. The cutrain is long but does not touch the ground.
Answer:
In the Name of God, Most Merciful, Most Kind
Thank you/ Jazāk Allāh Khayr for your question.
Yes, a curtain hanging from above can serve as a sutrah (barrier to block people from crossing while in ritual prayer). One should offer the prayer close to such a curtain without much of a gap. If the curtain does not touch the ground, then one should not be able to see more than half of the body of a person who may be crossing or walking on the other side of the curtain. (See: Al-Durr Al-Mukhtār, Qāmūs Al-Fiqh, Al-Fiqh Al-Islāmiy Wa Adillatuh)
“When one of you prays, let them pray facing a sutrah and let them draw close to it.” (Sunan Abū Dāwūd)
“When any of you pray, place something [to serve as a sutrah] in front of you.” (Musnad Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd)
And Allāh Knows Best
