A:
Offering Salah (Prayer) behind a Sutrah is an act of Sunnah whether while traveling or not, in obligatory or supererogatory prayers, in a Masjid (mosque) or not, for the general meaning of the Hadith:
When one of you prays, he should face a sutrah and should keep close to it.
Related by
Abu Dawud
with a good chain of transmission.
It has been recorded by
Al-Bukhari and
Muslim
on the authority of
Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) that
The spear was fixed for the Prophet (peace be upon him) on the ground. He stepped forward and offered two Rak`ah of Zhuhr, while there passed in front of him a donkey and a dog, and these were not checked.
It is recorded by
Muslim
on the authority of
Talhah ibn `Ubaydullah who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
When one of you places in front of him something such as the back of a saddle, he should pray without caring who passes on the other side of it.
Drawing near the Sutrah is an act of Sunnah as indicated by the previously mentioned Hadith. The Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) used to hurry to the pillars of the Masjid (Part No. 7; Page No. 77) to offer the supererogatory prayers. It has not been proven that they would place boards in front of them as a Sutrah while praying in the Masjid. However, they used to pray in front of walls or pillars. There should not be excessiveness regarding this matter as the Shari`ah is flexible, and whoever makes the religion a rigor, it will overpower him. The Sutrah is only desirable and not an obligatory act for it has been authentically reported that
The Prophet (peace be upon him) led people in prayer at Mina and there was no wall in front of him.
And the Hadith did not mention that he placed a sutrah in front of him.
It has been related by Imam
Ahmad,
Abu Dawud, and
Al-Nasa'y
on the authority of
Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that
The Prophet (peace be upon him) offered Salah in an open place, having nothing (i.e. sutrah) in front of him.
May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.