I walked in front of someone while they were praying.

[rhashim1986]

Hello,

Today at the Mosque, after the congregation prayers, people were leaving and I absent mindedly walked in front of a person who came in late and started his prayer late. He SHOVED me out of the way. This person did not even attempt to start his prayer near the walls, instead he chose a spot right next to four doors that people exit from. I looked at his ugly face so I could remember who I was going to shove back in later on in the dining room, but I didn't see him break his fast with the rest of us. Now, in American law, I could have beat his ass out of self defense, but I did not want to cause a scene, especially in the prayer hall. [content removed] Anyway, was this person who shoved me in the right, or not? I know this person's face now and I will look for him at the Mosque on another day.

Thank you,

Rahim

[Arru34]

he was right to shove you off, but was wrong to chose a place like that to pray.(he might not have purposely chosen to do so)

Allahu a'lam

[rhashim1986]

I do not understand how he was in the right if I am a man and I walked in front of him. The only things that would have interrupted his prayers were a woman, a donkey, or a black dog. If I walk in front of him then I have sinned, not he. So what gives him the right to put his hands on me? He was also with his small son. I really did not want to cause a commotion by putting my hands on his face, but I am regretting it now. I really wish I would have.

[Arru34]

From ibn Umar that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said,

"when one of you is praying then do not let anyone pass in front of him, and if he refuses then fight him for indeed he has a companion [i.e. a shaytaan] with him." Reported by Ahmad, Muslim and ibn Maajah.

From Abu Sa'eed who said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, saying,

"when one of you prays towards something that acts as a sutrah for him from the rest of the people and someone wishes to pass in from of him [i.e. between him and the sutrah] then push him back, and if he refuses then fight him for he is a shaytaan." Reported by the Group except for at-Tirmidhee and ibn Maajah.

[Note: A sutrah is a object that is placed in front of the one who is praying such that the people become aware that he is praying and do not pass directly in front of him but rather from beyond the sutrah.]
His saying [no.1], "when one of you is praying then do not..." this is a general statement which finds specification in the hadeeth of Abu Sa'eed [no. 2], "when one of you prays towards something that acts as a sutrah for him," so it is not permissible to push back or fight except for the one who has a sutrah.
An-Nawawee said,

"they have agreed that all of this [pushing and fighting] is for the one who has not been negligent in his prayer, rather he has been careful and prayed towards a sutrah or has prayed in a place in which he is safe from people passing in front of him."

His saying [no.1], "then do not let anyone pass in front of him." The literal sense of forbiddance is that it is haraam to do so.
His saying [no.1], "and if he refuses then fight him." I.e. He first pushes him back without fighting him thereby starting with the easiest way, then he moves on to employing more force then even more until he reaches the point that he fights him.
Qaadee Ayaadh and al-Qurtobee said,

"they have unanimously agreed that this does not require him to fight him with a weapon, this because it contradicts the basic principle of concentrating and busying oneself with the prayer."

A group of the Shaafi'ee scholars generalised and said that it is upon him to literally fight the one who passes in front of him but ibn al-Arabee declared this far fetched saying, "what is meant by fighting is pushing back [with force]."

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[ardianto]

Sabr, sabr (be patient), yaa akhee Rahim. Sabr, and forgive him. :)

[hisnameiszzz]

Why did he shove you? He should have been so engaged in his prayer that he should not have noticed you or was he looking around? However, I don't think you should waste your time on someone like that. Just keep your distance. I am glad you didn't batter him in the Masjid, even though he did deserve it.

If you made a genuine mistake and did not see him, then I don't think you have sinned. But that's my opinion. People make mistakes, we are only human. If you went out of your way to walk in front of him and knew he was praying, that would be different.

Good luck and keep calm if you can. I know it's easier said than done.

Salaams.

[greenhill]

I agree with hisnameiszzz in principle but sometimes I get flashes of temper that suddenly rises from nowhere. I do regret it after or if I was too shocked to react then it would bother me for days or even weeks on end.

I used to suffer from road rage a lot, thank Allah that it has really reduced now (I ride a lot now so am not stuck in traffic too much anymore) but there were times in the past where I would not avoid a collision. If they want it, I'll give it to them. Nobody wins, but I don't walk away angry alone. We both walk away angry....:raging: And perhaps would think about their action next time...^o)

As i grow older i avoid agravation...


Peace

[AsheSkyler]

It's never pleasant to be shoved and glared at, and having a temper does make it all the more difficult. Perhaps he thought you were being intentionally rude, perhaps it was a misunderstanding, or maybe he was the rude one. I'd still recommend trying to have a calm conversation to make reconciliation regardless of who was in the wrong. Having potential bitterness between you would surely be an unwanted distraction for you both at the mosque.

Best of luck to you and I hope you're able to reach a peaceful solution.

[illumination]

I may not be an expert here but violence and prayer to me seem to be counter productive... after all, isn't prayer supposed to be selfless?

[Hulk]

I may not be an expert here but violence and prayer to me seem to be counter productive... after all, isn't prayer supposed to be selfless?

In Islam, prayer is when you submit yourself to your Creator and leave everything else of the world behind. When it comes to interpreting hadith, I would prefer to leave that to the learned scholars. While I personally wouldn't get into an all out brawl with someone who accidentally disturbed me in prayer, I would understand if someone might get a little too angry over it as they may have been in a very intimate moment when disturbed. To use an analogy, it would be like if one was kneeling down, speaking in front of a King and someone just walks in front of them. It is quite disrespectful.

[Signor]

Anyway, was this person who shoved me in the right, or not?

I think right now we have only heard a one sided opinion,We don't know why the man who started prayers near doors.Since the OP has left after the above two posts,we also don't know his intentions for standing in front of "praying man".

What Invalidates Salah

1. Willful negligence of any essential posture of Salah like Rukoo', Sujood, etc. 2. Talking. 3. Laughing. 4. Eating or drinking. 5. Uncovering parts of the body that should be covered. 6. Diverging from the direction of the Qiblah. 7. Excessive movement, which is not part of Salah. 8. Anything that nullifies Wudu.

violence and prayer to me seem to be counter productive... after all, isn't prayer supposed to be selfless?

You are right,Its OP owns negligence who wants some sort of revenge from that person.Usually if someone walked in front of a praying man/woman,he/she usually don't have feel it insulting to be shove off.Many times mere recitation or a slight touch while bending for Rukoo' or Sujood alerts the guilty party to move from there.The reaction you have read is OP's own....nothing to do with Islam.

[illumination]

In Islam, prayer is when you submit yourself to your Creator and leave everything else of the world behind. When it comes to interpreting hadith, I would prefer to leave that to the learned scholars. While I personally wouldn't get into an all out brawl with someone who accidentally disturbed me in prayer, I would understand if someone might get a little too angry over it as they may have been in a very intimate moment when disturbed. To use an analogy, it would be like if one was kneeling down, speaking in front of a King and someone just walks in front of them. It is quite disrespectful.

Yes... your description of prayer seems to be universal for when I pray it is the same... but what I'm saying is that if one feels disrespected whilst praying, there is a time and place for it. Go and kick their ass afterwards if you need to but don't let it distract you while your communicating with your creator.