Is it permissible to pray before the gas heater?

Question
What is the ruling on placing an incense-burner in front of people who are praying in the mosque?

Answer

Praise be to Allaah.
There is nothing wrong with that, and that does not come under what some fuqaha’ have mentioned about it being makrooh to pray facing fire. For those who say that it is makrooh to pray facing fire give the reason that that is akin to the actions of the Magians (Zoroastrians) who worship fire, but the Magians do not worship fire in this manner, so there is nothing wrong with putting the incense burner in front of a person who is praying. There is also nothing wrong with putting electrical heaters in front of a person who is praying, especially if that object is put in front of the members of the congregation only and not in front of the imaam.

Source: Kitaab Al-Da’wah, 5. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/90