Question:
Do you make a Sutrah while praying Janazah other than the coffin?
Answer:
In this case the body could be raised on the coffin, so it could take the place of a Sutrah, so he prays towards it and it is his Sutrah, if it is raised.
And in the case where it might be a child or baby from miscarriage, then it doesn’t take the place of a Sutrah.
So there is no problem to place something in front of the body. For the Sutrah is obligatory due to the statement of the Prophet ﷺ;
لاتصلي إلا إلى سترة
“Do not pray except towards a Sutrah.”
So praying towards a Sutrah is obligatory, due to the Hadith mentioned, and the Prophet ﷺ constantly adhering to it whether as a resident or traveller.
He used to take a spear, place it in front of him and pray towards it, and he is the one who said;
صلوا كما رأيتموني أصلي
“Pray as you see me pray.”
Answered by: Shaykh, the Allamah, the Trustworthy Advisor, Abu Abdirrahman Yahya bin Ali Al-Hajuri – may Allah preserve him
Source: https://t.me/sh_yahia_duroos/8349, https://t.me/ShaykhYahyaEn/701
Translated by: Abū ‘Abdillāh ‘Omar bin Yahya Al-‘Akawi