How does a sick person perform the prayer (ṣalāh)?

- How does a person who cannot move due to an accident he had perform prayers?
- Can he make tayammum?

Dear Brother / Sister,

A person who has difficulty in performing prayers due to an illness can perform prayers by sitting. If he cannot perform prayers by sitting, he can perform by lying down. If he cannot make wudu, he makes wudu with the help of a person. In that case, his children have to help him. If there is nobody to help, and if there is a risk of missing the prayer, he can perform the prayer by making tayammum. 

The religion of Islam is based on ease. Besides, responsibility and worship vary according to the power of a person. Therefore, illness is regarded as a reason for ease. Accordingly, a person who cannot perform prayers by standing or who has difficulty in standing can pray by sitting. A person who cannot bow down or prostrate performs prayers by gestures.

Gesture means to make a gesture by the head instead of bowing down and prostrating. A person who performs prayers like that bends his head a bit for ruku’ and a bit more for sajdah. It is not permissible for a person who cannot put his head on the ground/floor in prostration to lift something and prostrate on it. Such a person performs his prayers by gestures.

A person who cannot sit makes gestures from the place where he lies. If a person can stand but cannot bow down and prostrate, he can make gestures by standing or sitting; however, it is more appropriate to make gestures by sitting. 

According to Hanafis, a person who is too ill to make gestures by his head abandons his prayers to perform them later as qada. This goes on like that as long as he is sane and he understands the divine addressing. However, some Hanafi scholars say if the prayers that such a person abandons are more than five daily prayers, he does not have to perform them as qada even if he is sane. They base their view on the principle of eliminating hardship. (al-Qasani, Badai, I/105 ff; az-Zuhayli, al-Fiqhul-Islami wa Adillatuh, Damascus, 1404/1984, I/639)

According to the majority of Islamic scholars, a person who cannot make gestures by his head performs his prayers by his eyes (eye gestures) and even by his heart. He does not abandon his prayers to perform them later as qada as long as he is sane. 

To sum up, the limit of performing prayers by an ill person is gestures by the head according to Hanafis, by the eyes or only by intention according to Malikis, and by the heart according to Shafiis and Hanbalis.

An ill person must not be ordered to sit in a certain style. He can sit in a way that is easy for him and performs prayers like that. That is the sound view. (Sharhu Hidayah – Fatawa al-Hindiyya)

A person who cannot perform prayers by standing or sitting can perform prayers by gestures in two ways:

a) He lies on his back, extends his legs toward the qiblah, puts a pillow under his head and performs prayers by the gestures of his head. A pillow or something similar placed under the head makes it easy to gesture for ruku’ and sajdah.  

b) It is permissible to lie on one’s side, turn his face toward the qiblah and perform prayers by the gestures of his head. It is permissible for the ill person to choose either one that makes it easy for him to perform prayers. (Sirajul-Wahhaj / Halwani)

The following is stated in the Quran, which indicates it:

«...Celebrate Allah´s praises, standing, sitting down, or lying down on your sides...» (an-Nisa, 4/103)

According to some tafsir and fiqh scholars, what is meant by dhikr in the verse is prayer. Those who are healthy perform it in accordance with its conditions. If those who are ill cannot stand, they can perform it by sitting or lying down.

This issue is explained by sound hadiths.

As a matter of fact, Imran Ibn Husayn narrates:

"I was suffering from hemorrhoids. I told the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) about it. He said,    

«Perform your prayers standing. If you cannot perform standing, sit. If you cannot perform sitting, lie down on your side.» (All Kutub as-Sittah books except Muslim.)

In the narration of the hadith in Nasai, the following addition exists:

«If you cannot perform by lying down on your side, lie on your back...»

Allah does not place anybody a burden greater than he can bear."

Jabir bin Abdillah (a Companion) narrates:

When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) visited a sick person, he saw him prostrating on a pillow. He said it was not appropriate and cast the pillow aside. He gave the man the following advice:

«Prostrate on the ground. If you cannot do it pray by gesture; lower your had a bit for ruku’ and a bit more for sajdah.» (Bayhaqi - Abu Hatam; it is sound)

Hz. Aisha narrates:

«When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was mortally ill, he performed prayers by sitting cross-legged.» (Nasai - Hakim: It is sound.)

Acting upon this hadith, mujtahid imams said,

“If an ill person cannot stand, he can perform prayers by making ruku’ and sajdah while sitting.” (al-Hidayah/Marghinani)

The soundest view and ijtihad regarding the issue is as follows:

If he may be harmed when he stands, he prays by sitting. If he may be harmed when he sits, he prays by lying on his side. (Mi'rajud-Diraya)

Similarly, if an ill person fears that his illness will get worse or his wound will heal late, he can pray by sitting instead of standing.

If he feels dizzy when he stands due to weakness or blood pressure, he can pray by sitting. (at-Tabyin / Zaylai) If he feels pain when he stands and if this pain lessens when he sits, it is more appropriate for him to pray by sitting. However, if the pain does not give much trouble, it is necessary to prefer praying by standing. (al-Kafi / Hakim Shahid al-Marwazi)

(Celal Yıldırım, Kaynaklarıyla İslam Fıkhı, Uysal Kitabevi: I/447-451.)

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