What is the required length for the Sutrah (barrier) during prayer?
Chapter on Imamate and Congregational Prayer
Al-Mughni
Book of Prayer
Primary text
The required length for the Sutrah is approximately one cubit (dhirāʿ) or similar. Abu Abdullah (Ahmad) stated that it is one cubit. This opinion is held by 'Ata' and the companions of the Ra'y school (Hanafi). The Prophet, peace be upon him, used the hindmost part of the saddle (ākhirat al-raḥl) as the measure. Since the hindmost part of the saddle varies in length, what approximates a cubit suffices for the barrier.
Supporting text
It is narrated that the measure is equivalent to the length of a bone of the forearm (ʿaẓm al-dhirāʿ). This is the position of Malik and Al-Shafi'i.