The Hadith on Interrupting Prayer
Multiple authentic hadiths state that a man's prayer is nullified if a woman, dog, or donkey passes in front of him while he's praying. This categorization of women alongside animals reveals much about their status in Islamic theology.
The Primary Hadith
"The Prophet said: 'A woman, a donkey, and a dog disrupt the prayer, but something like the back of a saddle guards against that.'" — Sahih Muslim 4:1034
"Abu Dharr reported: The Messenger of Allah said: 'When any one of you stands for prayer and there is a thing before him equal to the back of the saddle that covers him, and in case there is not before him (a thing) equal to the back of the saddle, his prayer would be cut off by (passing of an) ass, woman, and black dog.'" — Sahih Muslim 4:1032
Aisha's Objection
Even Aisha, Muhammad's favorite wife, objected to this comparison:
"The things which annul the prayers were mentioned before me. They said: 'Prayer is annulled by a dog, a donkey and a woman (if they pass in front of the praying people).' I said: 'You have made us (i.e. women) dogs. I saw the Prophet praying while I used to lie in my bed between him and the Qibla. Whenever I was in need of something, I would slip away, for I disliked to face him.'" — Sahih Bukhari 1:9:490
Notice that Aisha's objection wasn't that the hadith was false, but that she disliked the comparison. Her personal memory of lying between Muhammad and the qibla doesn't negate the general principle Muhammad taught.
Additional Supporting Evidence
"Abu Huraira said: 'The Messenger of Allah said: A woman, an ass, and a dog cut off the prayer; but a thing like the back of a saddle guards against that.'" — Sunan Abu Dawud 2:703
"It was narrated from Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah said: 'If any one of you stands to pray, let him use a Sutrah, even if it is just an arrow. If he does not have that, then his prayer will be interrupted by a donkey, a woman, and a black dog.'" — Sunan Ibn Majah 1:50:950
What This Reveals
- Women as Distractions: The underlying assumption is that women are inherently distracting and sexually tempting, even during worship.
- Ritual Impurity Association: By categorizing women with animals, the hadith associates the female form with ritual impurity.
- The Black Dog: Some scholars note that "black dog" specifically refers to Satan, making the categorization even more problematic—women, devils, and donkeys.
- No Reciprocal Rule: There is no equivalent rule that a man interrupts a woman's prayer, revealing the one-sided nature of this teaching.
Scholarly Explanations
Traditional Scholars
Generally accept the hadith at face value while trying to soften it by explaining:
- Women distract men from devotion to Allah
- The rule applies only if the woman passes very close
- It's not about women's inherent impurity but about potential distraction
Modernist Muslims
Often dismiss or reinterpret these hadiths, claiming:
- They are weak or unreliable (despite being in Sahih collections)
- They are taken out of context
- They reflect cultural attitudes, not divine teaching
The Problem with Reinterpretation
These hadiths appear in the most authentic collections with strong chains of transmission. Dismissing them because they're uncomfortable undermines the entire hadith tradition that Muslims rely on for religious practice.
If Muslims can reject these hadiths, why not others? Where is the line drawn, and who decides?
Biblical Contrast
The Bible teaches mutual respect and equality in worship:
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." — Galatians 3:28
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." — Ephesians 5:25
Jesus treated women with dignity and respect, teaching them, allowing them to support His ministry, and appearing first to women after His resurrection.
For more on Jesus's treatment of women, see our Jesus in Islam page.
Questions to Consider
- Why are women categorized with animals in these hadiths?
- If these hadiths are rejected, what does that mean for other Islamic teachings based on hadith?
- What does this reveal about how women are viewed in Islamic theology?
- Can a religious tradition that categorizes women with animals truly honor their dignity?