Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 376
sahih

Narrated Abu Juhaifa:

I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in a red leather tent and I saw Bilal taking the remaining water with which the Prophet (ﷺ) had performed ablution. I saw the people taking the utilized water impatiently and whoever got some of it rubbed it on his body and those who could not get any took the moisture from the others' hands. Then I saw Bilal carrying a short spear (or stick) which he planted in the ground. The Prophet (ﷺ) came out tucking up his red cloak, and led the people in prayer and offered two rak`at (facing the Ka`ba) taking a short spear (or stick) as a Sutra for his prayer. I saw the people and animals passing in front of him beyond the stick.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَرْعَرَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُمَرُ بْنُ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ، عَنْ عَوْنِ بْنِ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي قُبَّةٍ حَمْرَاءَ مِنْ أَدَمٍ، وَرَأَيْتُ بِلاَلاً أَخَذَ وَضُوءَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَرَأَيْتُ النَّاسَ يَبْتَدِرُونَ ذَاكَ الْوَضُوءَ، فَمَنْ أَصَابَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا تَمَسَّحَ بِهِ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يُصِبْ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا أَخَذَ مِنْ بَلَلِ يَدِ صَاحِبِهِ، ثُمَّ رَأَيْتُ بِلاَلاً أَخَذَ عَنَزَةً فَرَكَزَهَا، وَخَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي حُلَّةٍ حَمْرَاءَ مُشَمِّرًا، صَلَّى إِلَى الْعَنَزَةِ بِالنَّاسِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، وَرَأَيْتُ النَّاسَ وَالدَّوَابَّ يَمُرُّونَ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَىِ الْعَنَزَةِ‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 8, Hadith 28
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 1, Book 8, Hadith 373 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Prayer is the connection between a person and his Lord. In prayer, the worshipper stands conversing with his Lord and turning to Him. Islam enjoins being properly focused when praying, and not being distracted, and it sets out guidelines for the worshipper and for those who are not praying, so that the prayer will not be interrupted and the worshipper’s focus will not be interrupted by the actions of either of them [those who are praying and those who are not praying]. In this hadith, Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a red tent made of dyed leather, and that Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) took the leftover water with which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done wudu’. The people began rushing and racing to take the Prophet’s leftover wudu’ water, seeking blessing (barakah) from his relics. This seeking blessing from relics is something unique to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); the Sahabah did not seek blessing from anyone else who came after him, such as the awliya’ (close friends of Allah), the righteous, or anyone else. That is because of the blessing and goodness that Allah put in whatever the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) touched. Whoever managed to take any of this water would wipe himself with it, and whoever did not get any of this water would take from the moisture on the hand of his companion that was left from the water with which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done wudu’. Then Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw Bilal take a pointed stick, that was half the length of a spear or more, and had a point like the point of a spear, and stuck it firmly in the ground, to act as a screen (sutrah) in front of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) as he was leading the people in prayer, because he was praying in the open. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out, wearing a red hullah – the hullah was a suit consisting of two Yemeni garments, an izar and rida’, woven with red and black stripes, or red and green; it could not be called a hullah unless it was a two-peace garment. He prayed facing towards the stick, which he took as a screen (sutrah), and people and animals passed on the other side of the stick. Thus the stick formed a barrier so that people would not pass directly in front of the imam. The screen (sutrah) may be in the form of a stick and similar things that have height, especially for one who is praying in an open space. As for praying in the mosque or behind a wall or pillar, these things may serve as a screen for the worshipper..
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