by Asma bint Shameem
1️⃣ Praying Fardh salaah while sitting WITHOUT any valid excuse:
First of all, the default is that we HAVE to offer the Fardh prayer STANDING with the proper postures of rukoo and sujood on the ground.
And it’s NOT allowed for a person who can stand and pray with no disabilities or valid Shar’ee excuses to pray sitting down.
That’s because standing is one of the pillars of the Salaah, if one is able to stand and offer the prayer.
So praying in the car is NOT VALID unless you already offer your prayers in the sitting position routinely because of some genuine shar’ee excuse.
📌 Proof#1:
🍃 The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam told a sahaabi who was suffering from hemorrhoids, and therefore couldn’t stand and pray.
“Pray standing; if you cannot, then sitting; and if you cannot then lying on your side.”(al-Bukhaari)
📌 Proof #2:
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam would GET OFF the animal he was riding while traveling.
And he would offer his Fardh Salaah while standing with proper rukoo’ and sujood.
He would NOT pray the fardh Salaah while still sitting on his ride.
🍃 Ibn`Umar radhi Allaahu anhu said:
"Allaah's Messenger Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam used to offer the optional prayer on the back of his Mount facing any direction and also used to pray the witr on it but never offered the compulsory prayer on it." (al-Bukhaari)
🍃 The ulama of the Standing Committee said:
“With regard to offering obligatory prayers sitting down when one is able to stand, that is NOT PERMISSIBLE because of the general meaning of the verse in which Allaah says:
“And stand before Allaah with obedience” [al-Baqarah 2:238]
and because of the hadeeth of ‘Imraan ibn Husayn, according to which the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said to him:
“Pray standing; if you cannot, then sitting; and if you cannot then lying on your side.” (al-Bukhaari, 1117)
(Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 8/126)
So praying your fardh while sitting, for NO reason when a person is ABLE to pray properly, is NOT VALID.
That goes for praying in the sitting position, just because you’re driving somewhere or don’t want to get off the car, or you’re too ‘shy’ or too ‘embarrassed’ to pray in front of others.
Or you’re “too tired”.
Those are NOT valid Shar’ee excuses to pray your obligatory prayers sitting.
QUESTION ?
What about praying the VOLUNTARY prayers while sitting?
It is permissible to pray the nawaafil and Sunnah prayers sitting with no excuse, and the prayer is valid.
But keep in mind that the reward for that is reduced to HALF the reward of one who stands.
📌 Proof:
Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr radhi Allaahu anhu said:
“I was told that the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
“The prayer of a man who sits is half of the prayer of a man who stands.”
I came to him and found him praying sitting.
I put my hand on his head and he said, ‘What is the matter, O ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr?”
I said, “I was told, O Messenger of Allaah that you said, ‘The prayer of a man who sits is half of the prayer of a man who stands,’ and you are praying sitting.”
He said,
“Yes, but I am not like one of you.” (Muslim)
🍃 Imaam an-Nawawi said:
“This hadeeth is to be understood as referring to a naafil prayer offered sitting when one is able to stand.
This brings half the reward of a prayer offered standing.
But if a person offers a naafil prayer sitting down because he is unable to stand, then the reward is NOT reduced;
rather it will be the SAME as one who stands.
With regard to OBLIGATORY prayers, if a person prays sitting down when he is able to stand, his prayer is NOT VALID and he will not be rewarded, rather he is sinning.”
(Sharh Saheeh Muslim)
2️⃣ Praying fardh salaah while sitting for a VALID reason:
If there’s some disability or a GENUINE reason that a person cannot stand and pray, then it’s allowed to sit and offer the obligatory Salaah.
The prayer is valid and the person is not sinful.
For example a person is too sick, or injured, or too weak or too old.
Or the person will get dizzy or there’s a chance that he may fall or hurt himself if he stands to pray, for example on a plane or train etc.
Or in situations of fear, if a person is scared that he will be harmed if he’s seen praying.
But the fear has to be REAL and not based on emotions or paranoia.
Or a woman is pregnant and she cannot bend for rukoo or make sujood on the ground, so she can do that sitting on the ground or on a chair.
🍃Imaam al-Nawawi said:
“The ummah is unanimously agreed that whoever is unable to stand in an obligatory prayer may pray sitting down, and he does not have to repeat the prayer.
Our companions said: his reward will not be less than the reward for offering the prayer standing up, because he is excused.
It was proven in Saheeh al-Bukhaari that the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
“If a person is sick or is traveling, the reward of what he used to do when he was healthy and not traveling with be written for him.” [ al-Majmoo’ (4/201)]
However in such situations, one should sit for only that part of the Salaah that they cannot perform the default way.
The rest of the prayer should be prayed as is legislated.
So if a person can at least read al-Faatihah standing, they should do so. Then they may sit for the rest of the prayer.
Or if they can also make rukoo standing, they should do so standing and should sit only for the sujood.
Or if they can make sujood properly on the ground, but they cannot read al-Faatihah and Qur’aan standing, then they should sit ONLY for that portion of Salaah that they cannot do standing.
And they should make sujood on the ground.
They should NOT make sujood while sitting in the chair IF they can make sujood on the ground.
🍃 Shaykh Ibn Baaz said:
“Whoever is able to stand but is unable to bow or prostrate is not relieved of the obligation to stand, rather he should pray standing up, then lean forward for Rukoo` (i.e., whilst standing) then sit and lean forward for Sujood… and he should make leaning for Sujood deeper than that for Rukoo`.
If he is only unable to prostrate then he should do Rukoo` and then lean forward for Sujood.
If during the prayer the sick person becomes able to do something that he was unable to do, such as standing, sitting, bowing or prostrating, he should start to do that and continue from whatever he has already completed of his prayer.”
(Ahkam Salat Al-Marid wa Taharatihi)
🍃And Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:
“Whoever is unable to bow should lean forward whilst standing, and whoever is not able to prostrate should lean forward whilst sitting” (Ash-Sharh Al-Mumti’, 4/475)
🔺HOW to pray sitting❓
If a person cannot perform rukoo and sujood the normal way and has to offer the prayer sitting, they should just bend themselves forward a little bit for the rukoo and a bend a little deeper for sujood.
There’s NO need to put a table in front to put the head on it.
Nor is there a need to put the arms forward in midair to make sujood in between the hands.
Just put your hands on your knees and lean forward for the rukoo and lean some more for the sujood.
📌 Proof:
🍃 Once the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam visited a sick person and saw him praying (leaning) on a pillow, so he took it and cast it aside. So the man took a stick to pray (leaning) on it, but he took it and cast it aside and said:
“Pray on the ground if you can, but otherwise make movements with your head, making your sujood lower than your rukoo.”
(at-Tabaraanee, Bazzaar, and others. Saheeh by shaikh al-Albaani In Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah 323)
Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan said:
“The Prayer is the second pillar of Islaam. It is the foundational support-post of Islaam, and it is the first of all deeds a person will be held to account for on the Day of Judgment.
If it is accepted [by Allaah], the rest of his deeds will be accepted. If it is rejected, the rest of his deeds will likewise be rejected.
It is an obligation that no Muslim is ever excused from so long as he remains of sound mind. (With the exception of women during their menses and post-natal bleeding)
A Muslim prays according to his ability.
As Allaah has said,
“Fear Allaah to the best of your ability.”
(Soorah at-Taghaabun 64:16)
And He, the Most High, has said,
“Allaah does not burden any soul beyond its scope.”(Soorah al-Baqarah 2:286)
Furthermore, the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam said:
“When I have forbidden you from something, stay away from it [entirely]. When I have ordered you to do something, do as much of it as you are able.” (al-Bukhaari 7288 and Muslim 1337).
From this [generality] is prayer.
A Muslim is to pray to the best of his ability, the best he can, due to the statement of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam:
“A sick person prays standing. If he is unable, then he may pray sitting. If he is unable, then he may pray [laying] on his side.” (al-Bukhaari 1117).
Prayer has its required conditions (shuroot), necessary elements (arkaan, lit. pillars), obligations (waajibaat), and recommended manners (sunan).
A sick person is to do as much of these things as he is able to.
Some things are to be done while standing, while others are done while sitting or in prostration.
What is done standing is the initial takbeerah (saying, “Allaahu akbar”), reading [Soorah] Al-Faatihah and whatever else is easy of the Qur’aan, and bowing (rukoo’), which is done by bending over with one’s head and back until the hands reach the knees, saying in that position, “Subhaana Rabbi al-Adheem” (Glorified be Allaah, the Great One).
What is done while sitting is the tashahhud, the prostration, saying, “Subhaana Rabbi al-Aa’laa” (Glorified be Allaah, the Most High)
and the tasleem.
How does a [sick] person perform these actions?
If he is able to stand and sit, but cannot bow or prostrate, then he motions with his head for the bowing while he stands, and he motions with his head for the prostration while he sits.
If he is able to sit, but cannot stand, then he performs the initial takbeerah, the recitation of Al-Faatihah and what is easy of the Qur’aan to recite [while sitting].
He motions with his head for the rukoo’ (bowing) while he sits.
He prostrates on the ground if his able.
If not, then he motions with his head for the prostration while sitting, making his nodding [or bending over] lower for prostration than for bowing.
When praying seated, it is better and more complete to sit on the floor if one is able.
If not, then he may sit in a chair, and he does everything a person would do sitting on the floor.
The chair is to be lined up along with the row, and it should be a small chair whenever possible, so it does not take a large amount of space and encroach upon the space of those next to, behind, and in front of him.
He does not pray directly behind the imaam, to leave that place for healthy people who could take his place when needed, or prompt him when he cannot remember something in his recitation.
This is due to his (the Prophet ﷺ) statement, “Let the people of intellect and understanding stand directly behind me [in congregational prayer].” (Muslim 432)
(Shaykh Saalih ibn Fowzaan al-Fowzaan, Member of the Council of Senior Scholars)
🍃 Ibn Qudaamah said:
“If a person is unable to do rukoo’ or sujood, he should indicate them by nods or gestures.” (al-‘Umdah Sharh al-‘Iddah, p. 126)
If you cannot even nod or gesture, then pray according to your situation; your rukoo’ and sujood could be by intention only, when you reach them and recite the appropriate adhkaar in them.
And Allaah knows best.
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