Imaam Maalik said it was permissible (not obligatory), and the origin is found in the Sunnah when the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) moved up during his salaah when a sheep came walking along the wall that he was using as his sutrah. To keep his sutrah, he moved up to the wall, until he was right up against the wall and the sheep had to pass behind him. (You can find this narration in Al-Albaanee's book on prayer)
So there you have the action of moving up in one's salaah to preserve one's sutrah.
Imaam Maalik mentioned that he should only take a step or two towards something close by. So "stepping forward" would be different than "walking forward" (if someone were to see him they would say, "Where is that brother going?").
And Allaah knows best.
Moosaa Richardson
******************** سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت أستغفرك وأتوب إليك
I have never heard anything convincing about whether or not the latecomer should take a new sutrah when completing or if the sutrah of the imaam is still valid for him. It's important because in my local masjid it occasionally might happen that a woman will pass between you and the place of the imaam's sutrah (i.e. pass through the masjid) while you were completing the prayer. So in that case is the salaah broken and to be repeated or not?
Abu.Najiyyah
30-09-2003 @ 1:25 AM
30-09-2003 @ 3:46 AM