Prayer of the Sick, the Unconcious, the Weak and the Infirm, the Elderly and Others

Hadith.1033 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "The sick person should pray standing. If they are unable to do so, they should pray sitting. If they cannot pray sitting, they should pray lying down. They should say the Takbir, then recite. When they want to bow, they should close their eyes and then say the Tasbih (SubhanAllah (swt)). When they say Tasbih, they should open their eyes. The opening of the eyes represents the raising of their head from the bowing position. When they want to prostrate, they should close their eyes and then say the Tasbih. When they say Tasbih, they should open their eyes, and the opening of the eyes represents raising their head from the prostration position. Then they should recite the testimony of faith (Tashahhud) and end the prayer”.

Hadith.1034 - It was asked about a sick person who is unable to sit—whether they can pray while lying down and placing something on their forehead. Imam (as) replied: "Yes, Allah (swt) has not burdened them beyond their capacity."

Hadith.1035 - Samahat ibn Mehran asked about a man who has an eye condition (cataracts or similar) and undergoes a procedure to remove the issue, requiring him to lie on his back for many days—forty days, or possibly fewer or more. As a result, he can only perform his prayers by gestures due to his condition. The response was: "There is no harm in that."

Hadith.1036 - Bazi' the Muezzin asked Imam (as): "I intend to undergo a procedure on my eye." Imam (as) replied: "Do it." Bazi' then said: "But they claim that I will be made to lie on my back for several days and will not be able to perform prayer while sitting." Imam (as) replied: "Do it."

Hadith.1037 - The Messenger of Allah (sw) said: "A sick person should pray standing, and if he cannot, he should pray sitting. If he cannot do that, he should pray on his right side. If he cannot do that, he should pray on his left side. If he cannot do even that, he should lie down, face the Qibla, and make gestures for his prayers, with his prostration lower than his bowing."

Hadith.1038 - The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) said: "The Messenger of Allah (sw) visited a man from the Ansar who was struck by a strong wind. The man asked: 'O’ Messenger of Allah (sw), how should I pray?' The Prophet (as) replied: 'If you are able to, seat him. If not, direct him towards the Qibla, and command him to gesture with his head (for prayer). Make his prostration lower than his bowing. If he is unable to recite (the Quran), then recite for him and make him listen.'"

about how a sick person should perform prostration (Sujood). Abu Ja'far said: "On a small mat (Khumrah), a fan (Miroohah), or a stick (Miswak) that is raised to them, and this is better than mere gesturing. The disapproval from some for prostrating on a fan was due to the idols that were worshiped besides Allah (swt). However, we have never worshiped anything besides Allah (swt), so prostrate on the fan, on the Miswak, or on a piece of wood."

Hadith.1040 - The Halabi asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-about a sick person who faints. Does he need to make up the prayers he missed during his fainting? Imam (as) replied: "No, except for the prayer in which he regained consciousness”.

Hadith.1041 - Ayoub ibn Noah wrote to Abu Al-Hasan al-Third (Imam Musa al-Kadhim) (as) asking whether a person who is unconscious for a day or more needs to make up the prayers (salat) they missed. The Imam wrote in response, "He does not have to make up the fasting (sawm) or the prayers (salat)."

Hadith.1042 - Ali ibn Mahziyar asked about this issue, and Imam (as) replied: "He does not have to make up the fasting (sawm) or the prayers (salat), and everything that overwhelms a person due to God's will, God is more deserving of granting the excuse."

"The person who has a frequent (or overpowering) stomach condition should perform ablution (wudu) and continue with their prayer (salat)."

Hadith.1044 - Murazim ibn Hakim al-Azdi said: "I was ill for four months and did not perform any voluntary prayers (nawafil) during that time. I mentioned this to Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as), Imam (as) said: 'There is no obligation upon you for making up those prayers. Indeed, the sick person is not like the healthy one. Whatever Allah (swt) has made overpowering upon him, Allah (swt) is more entitled to excuse him.'"

Hadith.1045 - Ali ibn Ja'far asked his brother Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim (as) on whether it is permissible for a man to lean against the wall of the mosque while he is praying, or to place his hand on the wall while standing, without any illness or condition?" He (as) replied: "There is no harm in that." He also asked: "What about a man who is praying the obligatory prayer, and in the first two rak'ahs, he stands up and leans on the side of the mosque to help him rise, without any weakness or condition?" He (as) replied: "There is no harm in that either."

Hadith.1046 - Hamad ibn Othman said: I said to Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as): 'The standing in prayer has become very difficult for me.' He (as) replied: 'When you want to catch the prayer of the one standing, recite while sitting. When there remain two verses of the surah, then stand up and complete the remaining part, and bow and prostrate. That is the prayer of the one standing.'"

Hadith.1047 - Sahl ibn al-Yas'a asked Abu Al-Hasan al-Awwal (as) about a man who prays a voluntary prayer sitting while he does not have any illness, whether in travel or while at home. Imam (as) said: "There is no harm in that”.

Hadith.1048 - Abu Basir said: I said to Abu Ja'far (as), "We talk and say that whoever prays while sitting without any illness, his prayer consists of two rak'ahs in place of one, and two prostrations in place of one." Imam (as) said: "It is not as you say. It is complete for you."

"My father (as) when he prayed while sitting, he would sit cross-legged, and when he went into ruku' (bowing), he would fold his legs."

"There is no harm in that."

Hadith.1051 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said regarding prayer in a carriage (mahmil), "Pray sitting cross-legged (tawarruk), with your legs extended, or in whatever manner is possible for you."

I asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) about an elderly man who could not stand up due to weakness and was unable to perform ruku‘ (bowing) or sujood (prostration). Imam (as) said: "He should perform his prayer with gestures (īmā’), directing his head towards the Qiblah. If he has someone to raise the ṣaḥfa (a mat or a piece of cloth, typically used for prostration) for him, then he should prostrate. If he is unable to do so, he should perform his prayer with gestures (īmā’) facing the Qiblah." I asked: "What about fasting?" Imam (as) said: "If he has reached such a state, then Allah (swt) has excused him from fasting. If he is able, he should give a ṣadaqa (charity) of a mud (a portion of food) for each day, which is preferable. If he is not able to do this, then there is nothing required of him."

Hadith.1053 - Abdullah ibn Sulayman asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) about a person who experiences nosebleed during prayer and is only able to stop it by sniffing. Is this permissible? Imam (as) said: "Yes."

"Wipe it with your hand and continue praying."

Hadith.1055 - Layth al-Muradi asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) about a man who suffers from continuous nosebleeds from the time of the sun's zenith until nightfall. Imam (as) replied: "He should gesture with his head for each prayer."

"Vomiting is similar to that."

Hadith.1057 - In the narration of Abu Basir from Imam (as), Imam (as) said: "If you speak or turn your face away from the qibla, then you should repeat the prayer."

Hadith.1058 - Abu Basir said to him: "I hear someone sneeze, and I praise Allah (swt) and send blessings upon the Prophet (sw) while I am in prayer." Imam (as) said: "Yes, even if there is a sea between you and your companion."

Hadith.1059 - Imam (as) said: "If a blind person prays facing the wrong direction, and if it is during the time of the prayer, then he should repeat it. But if the time has passed, he does not need to repeat it."

I said to Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as): 'I am praying and I feel a pain in my stomach, or a rumbling, or a sensation of something moving.' Imam (as) said: 'Turn away (from prayer) and perform ablution, and then continue the prayer you have already performed, as long as you have not invalidated the prayer by deliberately speaking. If you spoke by mistake, there is no harm, and it is like the one who speaks in prayer by mistake.' I asked: 'What if he turns his face away from the qibla?' Imam (as) said: 'Yes, even if he turns his face away from the qibla.'"

Hadith.1061 - Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj asked Abu al-Hasan (as) about a man who feels discomfort in his stomach but is able to bear it. He asked whether the man should continue praying in that situation or not. Imam (as) replied: "If he can tolerate the pain and does not fear it causing him to rush the prayer, then he should pray and be patient."

Hadith.1062 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "Smiling does not invalidate the prayer, but loud laughter does. And smiling does not break the wudu (ablution)."