Does the Imam's sutra suffice for those praying behind him?
Chapter on Imamate and Congregational Prayer
Al-Mughni
Book of Prayer
Primary text
The sutra of the Imam is the sutra for those praying behind him. Ahmad stated this, and it is the opinion of the majority of scholars, including Ibn al-Mundhir and Al-Tirmidhi. This view was held by the jurists of Medina whose opinions were authoritative, such as Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab, 'Urwa ibn az-Zubayr, Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, Abu Bakr ibn Abdur-Rahman, Kharija ibn Zayd, Ubaydullah ibn Abdillah ibn 'Utbah, Sulayman ibn Yasar, and others. It is also narrated from Ibn 'Umar, and held by An-Nakha'i, Al-Awza'i, Malik, and Ash-Shafi'i. The evidence is that the Prophet prayed toward a sutra and did not command his companions to set up another one. Furthermore, in the narration of Ibn Abbas, when the Prophet prayed in Mina toward a wall, the narrator passed on his donkey in front of some in the first row, dismounted, let the donkey graze, and then the donkey entered the row without anyone objecting.
Supporting text
The meaning of the Imam's sutra being sufficient for those behind him is that if nothing that invalidates the prayer passes between the Imam and his sutra, the prayer of the followers is valid, and nothing passing in front of some rows or between them and the Imam is harmful. However, if something that invalidates the prayer passes between the Imam and his sutra, both his prayer and the followers' prayers are invalidated. This is indicated by the narration where the Prophet prayed toward a wall, and a beast passed in front of him; he kept warding it off until its belly touched the wall, and then it passed behind him. If his sutra was not theirs, there would be no distinction between something passing in front of him versus behind him.