Question Summary:
Crossing in front a person in Salaah, interpretation of Hadith

Question Detail:

1a. is it permissible for a person (say “A”) who is praying to prevent someone (say “B”) from crossing him (i.e. “A”) in the front by means of his hand?
1b. what is the ruling regarding crossing someone who is praying?
2. In a Hadith related by Numan bin Bashir RA (Riyadhus Saliheen, Book of Prohibitions), the Prophet SAW has given the example of a person who is within the boundaries set by Allah and who transgresses this boundary like a group of people who are aboard a ship and by lots the decks have been allocated, so that few people are in the upper deck and some in the lower deck. This hadith says that if the people of the lower deck think that “if we were to make a hole in the lower deck we would get the water here” and they would not need to go to the upper deck for water. If the people of the upper deck then do not stop the people on the lower deck from executing the plan, then the ship will be drowned and both of them will die, but if they stop them from executing their act then ship will be saved and so will its occupants.
Regarding the Hadith mentioned above
a. Can you please interpret the hadith mentioned above?
b. Does this hadith also imply that if a person in using his intellect disobeys Allah SWT then he will only end up in misery and loss?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Respected brother in Islam,
1) To cross in front of a person who is engaged in Salaah is impermissible and it is a grave sin to do so.¹
 The Prophet (Sallalallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) states:
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَوْ يَعْلَمُ المَارُّ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ المُصَلِّي مَاذَا عَلَيْهِ، لَكَانَ أَنْ يَقِفَ أَرْبَعِينَ خَيْرًا لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَمُرَّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ»(البخاري 510)
 “If the person who passes in front of another person in prayer knew the magnitude of his sin, he would prefer to wait for 40(days, months or years) rather than to pass in front of him.)Bukhari, 510)
 The Fuqaha (Islamic jurists) have stated that one may stop a person from crossing him in Salah by gesturing (with his hand or head) or by reciting aloud. If the person crossing does not take heed, then he may be pushed lightly.² However, it must not be done violently, as that is against the etiquettes of Salaah.
 
2) The meaning of the Hadith is clear. If we do not stop the people from doing wrong, we too will suffer the consequences of the wrong.
The point you refer to can be deducted from the Hadith.
 
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Arshad Ali
Student Darul Iftaa
Trinidad
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
http://www.daruliftaa.net/
 
بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع (1/ 217)
وَيُكْرَهُ لِلْمَارِّ أَنْ يَمُرَّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ الْمُصَلِّي؛ لِقَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - «لَوْ عَلِمَ الْمَارُّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ الْمُصَلِّي مَا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ الْوِزْرِ لَكَانَ أَنْ يَقِفَ أَرْبَعِينَ خَيْرًا لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَمُرَّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ» ، وَلَمْ يُوَقِّتُ يَوْمًا أَوْ شَهْرًا أَوْ سَنَةً
 
مراقي الفلاح شرح نور الإيضاح (ص: 135) 
"²) ولا يقاتل" المصلي "المار" بين يديه "وما ورد به" من قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "إذا كان أحدكم يصلي فلا يدع أحدا يمر بين يديه وليدرأ ما استطاع فإن أبى فليقاتله إنما هو شيطان" "مؤول بأنه كان" جواز مقاتلته في ابتداء الإسلام "والعمل" المنافي للصلاة "يباح" فيها إذ ذاك "وقد نسخ" بما قدمناه
حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح شرح نور الإيضاح (ص: 368) 
²⁾ ولا يقاتل المصلي الخ" الحاصل إنه إذا قصد المرور بين يديه إن كان قريبا منه يمكنه مدافعته بدون مشي أشار إليه أو لا ليرجع يسبح فإن لم يرجع دفعه مرة بلطف فإن لم يرجع تركه ولا يقاتله وإن كان بعيدا عنه إن شاء أشار إليه وإن شاء سبح فقط
دليل الفالحين لط