Placing wooden boards in the Masājid to be used as Sutrah

Question:

Our Virtuous Shaykh, the presence of pieces of wood which people take as a Sutrah for the prayer become wide spread in our Masājid all over Morocco.

Is taking it as a Sutrah, or only praying infront of it, permissible?

Answer:

This is from the blameworthy burdening of oneself which is warned from, as declared as such by the Standing Committee with Ibn Bāz at its head.

It’s upon a person who entered the Masjid wanting to pray, to take whatever is easy for him, as a Sutrah.

This is what the Prophet ﷺ and his companions did.

When the call to the prayer was called they would go towards to the pillars, or one of them would take his brother as a Sutra, or the wall or other than this.

And they didn’t put anything in the Masjid for this purpose.

Contrary to the prayer while in open spaces, like a Musala, or while travelling; it was from the custom of the Prophet ﷺ to only pray in open spaces with an ‘Anazah (staff) infront of him, as mentioned by Al-Hāfidh in “Fathl Bāri”.

The ‘Anazah is a stick which is half the size of a spear, with metal on its lower part.

And in the two Sahihs on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, is that the Prophet ﷺ would when leaving to pray on the day of ‘Eid request for a spear and it would be placed it infront of him, and pray towards it, and the people behind him.
And likewise would do this while travelling.

Answered by:
Shaykh Abu Hatim Yusuf Al-‘Inaabi Al-Jazaa’iree – may Allah preserve him.

Source:
t.me/abouhatem/20

Answered on:
27th, Muharram, 1438H

Translated by:
Abu ‘Abdirrahman ‘Abdullaah bin Ahmed Ash-Shingaani