Shaykh Muqbil bin Hadi al-Wadi’i was asked:

Question:

Does a woman passing in front of another woman break her prayer?

Answer:

“The Hadith* is about a woman passing in front of a man. This woman that passes in front of another woman, then it is not included in the Hadith. So that which is apparent is that it does not break her prayer. And Allah Knows Best”

[Shifaa ‘an Asilah Nisaa al-Mukalla as cited in Ajwibaatul-Waadi’yyah ‘alal-Asilatin-Nisaa’iyyah pg. 89]

* Translator’s Note:

The Hadith the Shaikh rahimahullah is referring to is the following:

عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ ‏”‏ يَقْطَعُ الصَّلاَةَ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَ يَدَىِ الرَّجُلِ مِثْلُ مُؤْخِرَةِ الرَّحْلِ الْمَرْأَةُ وَالْحِمَارُ وَالْكَلْبُ الأَسْوَدُ ‏

Abu Dharr narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“The prayer is severed by a woman, a donkey, and a black dog, if there is not something like the back of a saddle in front of a man [while he is praying]”

[Saheeh Ibn Majah no.786. It is also reported in Bukhari and Muslim with a different wording]

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan