SECTION ON PRAYER · 110 – Things That Nullify Prayer by Passing in Front of It
From Abu Zarr, narrated by Hafs: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "It breaks the prayer of a man." In the narration from Suleyman ibn Mughira, Abu Zarr said, “Nothing breaks the prayer of a man unless it is as much as the end of a date palm trunk [in distance], and that is a donkey, a black dog, and a woman.”
The narrator (Hafiz) says: I asked, "Why does a black dog break the prayer, while yellow, red, and white dogs do not?"
Abu Zarr said: “O my brother’s son, I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as you have asked, and he said, ‘The black dog is Satan.’” [452]
COMMENTARY
It has been stated that when Satan wishes to enter the form of a dog, he enters the form of a black dog, or because the black dog is more evil than other dogs, the black dog is Satan.
The scholars have disputed regarding the ruling of this hadith. Ahmad ibn Hanbel says that if a black dog passes in front of one who is praying, his prayer becomes invalid. Abu Hanifa, Shafii, and Malik may Allah be pleased with them, interpreted this honorable hadith as follows: These animals cause suggestions (whispers) to enter the heart of the person praying, causing his prayer to be broken. Otherwise, the passing of any living creature in front of one who is praying cannot invalidate it.
On the authority of Shu'ba, from Ibn 'Abbas, transmitted on a chain of narration (merfū‘), that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “A woman in her menstrual period and a dog invalidate the prayer.”
Abu Dawud said: This Hadith was narrated to me by Sa’id, Hisham, Hammam, and Qatada from Jabir bin Zayd, who transmitted it on a suspended chain of narration (mawqūf) from Ibn 'Abbas.
عبدالله بن عباس رضي الله عنه، أظنه قال:
"إذا صلى أحدكم مكتئبًا، فالحق أن صلاته قد نقضها الكلب، والحمار، والخنزير، واليهودي، والمجوسي، فإن مروا من خلفه ببعد رمية حجر، فهي تمام الصلاة."
قال أبو داود: يظهر لي في هذا الحديث شك. تناقشت فيه مع إبراهيم وغيرهم، فما أحد منهم يعرف أن هذا الحديث رُوِي عن هشام. وأظنه من وهم ابن أبي سمينة. والمُشكل فيه ذكر "المجوسي" و "بعد رمية حجر" وذكر "الخنزير".
وقال أبو داود أيضًا: ما سمعت هذا الحديث إلا من محمد بن إسماعيل. وظني أنه وهم منه، لأنه كان يرويه عن حفظه.
شرح
إذا مر الكلب، والمرأة، والخنزير، واليهودي، والمجوسي بصاحب الصلاة من خلفه على بعد رمية حجر، فهي تمام الصلاة. وإلا فإنه يكفي أن يمنعهم من المرور برمي حصاة واحدة.
Yezid bin Nemran, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I saw a crippled man at Tabuk. He said: While I was riding on a donkey and passed in front of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, while he was performing prayer, he said: “O Lord, cut off his trace (footprint).” Since then, I have not been able to walk on my feet.
It was related on the same chain of narration as the preceding hadith from Sa'id (bin Abdulaziz). In that narration, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "May Allah cut off his feet who cuts short our prayer." This phrase is an addition.
Abu Dawud said: This hadith was narrated by Abu Mushir from Sa’id, may Allah be pleased with him. Sa'id related in his narration: “He cut short our prayer.”
Sa’d ibn Gazwan (may Allah be pleased with him) relates: My father arrived in Tabuk having performed Hajj. There he saw a man who was crippled and asked him about the reason for his condition.
The crippled man said, “I will relate to you a hadith. But you must not tell anyone what you hear from me as long as I remain alive.” He continued, "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stopped near a date palm tree in Tabuk. He said, ‘This [date palm] is our *qibla*.’ And he turned towards the date palm and performed prayer." I was still a young boy, and I ran, passing between the date palm and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “He has interrupted our prayer. May Allah cut off his trace [footprint].” He then said, "I have not been able to stand on my feet since that day."