Question:
What is the ruling regarding performing one’s prayer sitting on a chair?
Answer:
Salah of a Sick Person
It is compulsory to perform fardh and wajib salahs standing, as long as a person is capable of performing them whilst standing. But if he is unable to perform his salah standing, or his health deteriorates if he performs his salah standing, he should pray whilst sitting, and perform ruku and sajdah also whilst sitting. He must bow for ruku so much that his forehead comes to be at the same level as his knees.
If he is able to stand but unable to perform sajdah, then he could either pray standing and perform ruku and sajdah by gestures or pray sitting and perform ruku and sajdah by gestures, whilst bowing for sajdah more than he would bow for ruku.
According to the Greatest Imam, for that kind of person it is better to pray whilst sitting.
Rulings pertaining to performing Salah sitting on a chair
If someone is able to pray standing but unable to perform ruku and sajdah from standing position, although he is able to perform sajdah on the floor whilst sitting, he must perform sajdah whilst sitting on the floor. If he performs sajdah whilst resting on a chair by gestures, his salah will not be valid. In the same way, if a person is unable to stand but able to perform sajdah on the floor, his salah, sitting on a chair, will not be valid.
If someone is unable to perform sajdah even whilst sitting, his salah sitting on a chair using gestures will be valid. In such circumstance, if he is able to perform his salah standing, then it is better for him to pray whilst standing than praying whilst sitting on a chair using gestures.
If it becomes difficult for him to stand but he is able to pray whilst sitting on the floor, although he is unable to perform sajdah and perform it by gestures, in that circumstance, even though it is allowed to pray sitting on a chair by gestures; however, he must pray whilst sitting on the floor by gestures. Because, he is capable of praying whilst sitting on the ground, the salah will be makrooh-e-tahrimi, as it leads to imitation of Christians.
However, if he is unable to perform sajdah whilst sitting and unable to sit too, there is nothing wrong in praying whilst resting on a chair.
لما في رد المحتار: (2/97) (وإن تعذرا) ليس تعذرهما شرطا بل تعذر السجود كاف (لا القيام أومأ) بالهمزة (قاعدا) وهو أفضل من الإيماء قائما لقربه من الأرض
وفي الفتاوى الهندية (1/136) وكذا لو عجز عن الركوع والسجود وقدر على القيام فالمستحب أن يصلي قاعدا بإيماء وإن صلى قائما بإيماء جاز عندنا، هكذا في فتاوى قاضي خان
وفي الهداية (1/76) قال: (وإن قدر على القيام ولم يقدر على الركوع والسجود لم يلزمه القيام ويصلي قاعدا يومئ إيماء) … والأفضل هو الإيماء قاعدا؛ لأنه أشبه بالسجود
وفي فتح القدير (3/104) (قوله: لم يلزمه) المنفي اللزوم فأفاد أنه لو أومأ قائما جاز، إلا أن الإيماء قاعدا أفضل؛ لأنه أقرب إلى السجود
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In such a circumstance where it is allowed to pray sitting on a chair, it is necessary to keep the row straight by keeping in line with the same row as of the worshippers from the right and left.
Written by: Mawlana Muhiuddin, Teacher, Jamia Madania Kajir Bazar, Sylhet, Bangladesh.
Date: 27/02/1437 Hijriyyah
Approved by: Mufti Abdul Kalam Zakariyya, Jamia Qasimul Uloom Hazrat Shahjalal (Ra.) Sylhet.
And
Mufti Abdus Subhan
Jamia Madania Kazir Bazar, Sylhet.
Translated by: Abdullah Fahim