the camel. And if [a dog] passed in front of him, [he would not let it] (32). For this reason, he prevented the animal from passing. Ibn Umar used to say to Nafi', "Turn your back to me" (33), in order to use it as a sutra (partition) from those passing in front of him. Umar sat in front of the one praying, shielding him from passers-by (34). This demonstrates that standing is not in the same ruling as passing, and therefore, it is not to be compared to it. The statement of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), "It invalidates the prayer," must imply passing by or something else, [for it only invalidates it through an action performed by it; thus, it is necessary to imply that action, and the mention of passing has come in some reports] (35). Consequently, it is specific to apply it to that.

Section: Whoever prays towards a sutra, and something that invalidates the prayer passes behind it, it is not invalidated. If something that does not invalidate the prayer passes behind it, it is not disliked, due to the hadiths that have passed. If it passes between him and the sutra, it invalidates it if it is among those things that invalidate it, [and it is disliked if it is among those things that do not invalidate it] (36). If there is no sutra in front of him, and something that invalidates the prayer passes close to him in front of him, it invalidates it; if it is (37) among those things that do not invalidate it, it is disliked; and if it is far away, no ruling applies to it. I do not know of any scholar who has defined what is far or close in this regard, except that 'Ikrimah said: "If there is a stone's throw (38) between you and that which invalidates the prayer, it does not invalidate the prayer." 'Abd ibn Humayd in his "Musnad" and Abu Dawud in his "Sunan" narrated from 'Ikrimah, from Ibn 'Abbas, that he said: I believe it is from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), that he said: "If one of you prays without a sutra, his prayer is invalidated by the dog, the donkey, the pig, the Magian, the Jew, and the woman, and it is sufficient to fend them off if they pass in front of him by a stone's throw" (39). This is the wording of the narration of Abu