Saturday, March 24, 2012

The Solāh Of A Sick Person

The Solāh Of A Sick Person

(Solah al-Marid)

By Sayyid Sābiq

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;
All the praise and thanks is due to Allāh, the Lord of al-`ālamīn. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam is His Messenger.

1 - Offer the Solāh while standing and if you cannot do so, pray while sitting, and if you can’t do that, then make Solāh while lying on your side 

Whoever has some excuse due to illness and cannot stand during the Solat fardhu is allowed to pray sitting. If he cannot pray in a sitting posture, he may pray while on his side by making gestures. In such a case, his gestures for sajdah should be lower than those for his ruku’. This principle is based on Allāh's words: “...And celebrate Allāh's praises, standing, sitting, and lying on your sides.” [Al-Baqarah, 2:43]

`Imran ibn Hussain (radiyallāhu`anhu) says: “I had piles [hemorrhoids], so I asked the Allāh’s Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) about the Solāh and he said: ‘Offer the Solāh while standing and if you cannot do so, Solāh while sitting, and if you can’t do that, then make Solāh while lying on your side’.” This is related by the group, except for Muslim. An-Nasa`ie adds: “And if you cannot offer Solāh while lying on your side, then does it while lying on your back. Allāh does not burden a soul; save with what it can bear.” 

2 - Solāh on the ground if you can, and if you cannot, then pray by making gestures, and make your sajdah lower than your ruku’

Jabir bin Abdullah (radiyallāhu`anhu) reported: “The Allāh’s Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) visited a sick person and found him performing Solāh on a cushion. The Allāh’s Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) pushed it aside and said:Solāh on the ground if you can, and if you cannot, then Solāh by making gestures, and make your sajdah lower than your ruku’.” This is related by Al-Baihaqi. 

What is meant by inability is that the person if he perform Solāh [in the regular way], will suffer hardship, or his disease will aggravate, or his recovery would be hampered, or he will swoon if he prays in the customary manner. One should sit cross-legged while praying in a sitting position. 

`Aishah (radiyallāhu`anha) narrated “I saw the Allāh’s Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) sitting cross-legged while praying”. This is related by an-Nasa`ie and al-Hakim says it is sahih: It is also permissible to sit in the manner that one sits while performing the Tashahhud 

One who can offer the Solāh neither sitting nor standing is to lie down on his side, and if he cannot do that, he is to lie down on his back with his legs toward the qiblah according to his state of health. Ibn al-Munzhir prefers this opinion. On this point, there is a weak hadith reported by ‘Ali which states that the Allāh’s Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) said: “The sick person is to perform Solāh standing if he is able. If he cannot do so, he should Solāh sitting. If he is not able to make the sajdah, he should nod with his head and make the nod of his sajud lower than that of his ruku’. If he cannot Solāhin a sitting posture, he should Solāh while lying down on his right side facing the qiblah. If one cannot Solāh on his right side, he should Solāh while lying on his back with his legs stretched out toward the qiblah. This is related by ad-Daraqutni. Some scholars maintain that one can pray in whatever manner is easy for him. It is apparent from the hadith that if one can only nod while lying on his back, then nothing else is obligatory upon him. 

And Allāh Almighty Knows best.

[Excerpted from Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 2: “The Solāh Of A Sick Person (Solatul Marid)” 
by Sayyid Sābiq]

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