Disabled Muslims Australia

Prayer when sick or disabled

 

Q: I am unable to stand for  my prayers due to my illness/disability. How can I perform my prayers?

A: The prophet Mohammed, in response to Imran Ibn Hussain asking how to perform his prayers when he was suffering from haemorrhoides, instructed, "Pray standing, and if you can not, then sitting down, and if you can not, then lying on your side" (reported by al-Bukhari). So, if it is not possible for you to stand for salah, or doing so risks causing harm to you, you may perform your prayers sitting on the floor or a chair. You should perform the movements of sujud and ruku to the best of your ability i.e. lean forward from your seated position if it is safe for you to do so. If you can not sit then you may perform your prayers lying on your side with your feet facing the Qibla. You should perform the movements of sujud and ruku to the best of your ability by moving your head.

 

 

Q: I suffer from incontinence. How can I perform my prayer?

There is a dedicated article for both urinary and fecal incontience, as well as problems with passing gas. Please see the link below.

 

 

 

 

Q: I am unable to make wudu due to my illness/disability. What can I do?

A: If using water to make wudu will cause you harm, or slow your recovery, it is permissible for you to perform a dry ablution, termed Tayammum. Sheikh al-Qaradawi (2004) instructs, "One of the dispensations that allows one to perform Tayammum is when the use of water is likely to cause one harm. Tayammum is lawful in this case even if there is available water. There is a tenet in Islam to the effect that there should be neither harm nor reciprocating harm. As well as this, Allah, the Almighty has not laid upon His worshippers any hardship in religion." If your inability to expose your water only relates to a isolated part of your body, such as a wound on your arm, then you may cover it with a cloth and wipe over the outside of the cloth and continue to wash the rest of your body as usual, as was instructed by the prophet Mohammed (reported by Abu Dawud). Moreover, if there is water available but you are unable to access it due to your disability then you may also perform Tayammum.

 

The steps of Tayammum are as follows:

1. Recite Bismillahi Rahmani Rahim and make intention to perform tayammum

2. Strike both hands on clean earth (or an object covered in thick dust, or things made of earthen particles e.g. rock, clay pots) and rub both hands over your entire face

3. Strike both hands again on clean earth (or other permissible item) and rub your left hand over your right hand, then rub your right hand over your left hand.

 

 

References:

Al-Qaradawi, Y 2004, When illness justifies Taymmum, Islamic Science University of Malaysia, Negeri Sembilan, viewed 10 June 2014, <http://infad.usim.edu.my/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=10748>