from us your qiram (49) (thin curtain), for its images keep appearing to me during my prayer." Recorded by al-Bukhari (50). If the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), despite the immunity and khushu‘ (devotional focus) with which Allah the Almighty supported him, was distracted (51) by that, then others are even more so.
Section: It is disliked for a person to pray while in front of him is a woman praying, because of the saying of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): "Put them back where Allah has put them back" (52). As for outside of prayer, it is not disliked, because of the report of Aisha. Abu Hafs narrated with his chain of narration from Umm Salama, who said: "My bed was positioned facing the place where the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) prayed" (53). If she is to his right or left, it is not disliked, even if she is in prayer. Ahmad disliked for a person to pray while a disbeliever is in front of him. This has also been narrated from Ishaq, because the polytheists are impure.
Section: There is no harm in praying in Makkah without a sutra (barrier). This has been narrated from Ibn al-Zubayr, ‘Ata’, and Mujahid. Al-Athram said: It was said to Ahmad: "What about a man who prays in Makkah and does not screen himself with anything?" He replied: "It has been narrated from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) that he prayed there (54) while there was no sutra between him and those performing tawaf (circumambulation)" (55). Ahmad said: "This is because Makkah is not like other places; it is as if Makkah is special." This is due to what Kathir ibn Kathir ibn al-Muttalib narrated from his father, from his grandfather al-Muttalib, who said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) praying facing the Hijr, and people were passing in front of him." Recorded by al-Khallal with his chain of narration (56). Al-Athram narrated with his chain of narration from al-Muttalib, who said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) when he...
(49) Qiram: A thin curtain that has patterns and designs on it. (50) Its recording was previously mentioned on 2/393. (51) In [A] and [M]: "shaghalahu" (distracted him). (52) Previously mentioned on page 39. (53) Recorded by Ibn Majah in: The Chapter on one who prays while there is something between him and the Qibla, from the Book of Establishing the Prayer. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/307, 308. And Imam Ahmad in: Al-Musnad 6/322. (54) In [M]: "wa-thamma". (55) Recorded by Abd al-Razzaq in: The Chapter on nothing interrupting the prayer in Makkah, from the Book of Prayer. Al-Musannaf 2/35. (56) Recorded by Abu Dawud in: The Chapter on Makkah, from the Book of Manasik (Rites). Sunan Abi Dawud 1/465. Its wording is that he saw =
عَنَّا قِرَامَكِ (٤٩)، فَإنَّه لا يَزَالُ تَصَاوِيرُهُ تَعْرِضُ لي في صَلَاتى. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِىُّ (٥٠). وإذا كان النَّبِىُّ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم-، مع ما أَيَّدَهُ اللهُ تعالى به من العِصْمَةِ والخُشُوعِ، يشْغَلُهُ (٥١) ذلك، فغيرُه من النَّاسِ أوْلَى.
فصل: ويُكْرَهُ أنْ يُصَلِّىَ وأمَامَه امْرَأَةٌ تُصَلِّى؛ لقولِ النَّبِيِّ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم-: "أَخِّرُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَخَّرَهُنَّ اللهُ" (٥٢). فأمَّا في غيرِ الصلاةِ فلا يُكْرَهُ؛ لخَبَرِ عائشةَ. ورَوَى أبو حَفْصٍ، بإسْنَادِهِ، عن أُمِّ سَلَمةَ، قالتْ: كان فِرَاشِى حِيَال مُصَلَّى النَّبِيِّ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم- (٥٣). وإنْ كانتْ عن يَمينِه أو يَسَارِه، لم يُكْرَهْ، وإن كانت في صَلَاةٍ. وكَرِهَ أحمدُ أن يُصَلِّىَ وبين يَدَيْهِ كافِرٌ. وَرُوِىَ ذلك عن إسْحاقَ؛ لأن المُشْرِكِينَ نَجَسٌ.
فصل: ولا بَأْسَ أن يُصَلِّىَ بمَكَّةَ إلى غيرِ سُتْرَةٍ، وَرُوِىَ ذلك عن ابنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، وعَطاءٍ، ومُجاهِدٍ. قال الأَثْرَمُ، قيل لأحمدَ: الرَّجُلُ يُصَلِّى بمَكَّةَ، ولا يَسْتَتِرُ بشىْءٍ؟ فقال: قد رُوِىَ عن النَّبِيِّ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم- أنَّه صَلَّى ثَمَّ (٥٤) ليس بينَه وبينَ الطُّوَّافِ سُتْرَةٌ (٥٥). قال أحمدُ: لأنَّ مَكَّةَ ليستْ كغيرِها، كأنَّ مَكَّةَ مَخْصُوصَةٌ. وذلك لما رَوَى كَثِيرُ بنُ كَثِيرِ بنِ المُطَّلِبِ، عن أبِيهِ، عن جَدِّهِ المُطَّلبِ، قال: رأيتُ رسولَ اللهِ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم- يُصَلِّى حِيَالَ الحِجْرِ، والنّاسُ يَمُرُّونَ بين يَدَيْهِ. رَوَاه الخَلَّالُ بإسْنَادِهِ (٥٦). ورَوَى الأثْرَمُ، بإسْنَادِهِ عن المُطَّلبِ، قال: رأيتُ رسولَ اللهِ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم- إذا
(٤٩) القرام: الستر الرقيق، وفيه رقم ونقوش.(٥٠) تقدم تخريجه في ٢/ ٣٩٣.(٥١) في أ، م: "شغله".(٥٢) تقدم في صفحة ٣٩.(٥٣) أخرجه ابن ماجه، في: باب من صلى وبينه وبين القبلة شيء، من كتاب إقامة الصلاة. سنن ابن ماجه ١/ ٣٠٧، ٣٠٨. والإِمام أحمد، في: المسند ٦/ ٣٢٢.(٥٤) في م: "وثم".(٥٥) أخرجه عبد الرزاق، في: باب لا يقطع الصلاة شيء بمكة، من كتاب الصلاة. المصنف ٢/ ٣٥.(٥٦) أخرجه أبو داود، في: باب في مكة، من كتاب المناسك. سنن أبي داود ١/ ٤٦٥. ولفظه أنه رأى =
