قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع أَ تُصَلِّي النَّوَافِلَ وَ أَنْتَ قَاعِدٌ فَقَالَ مَا أُصَلِّيهَا إِلَّا وَ أَنَا قَاعِدٌ مُنْذُ حَمَلْتُ هَذَا اللَّحْمَ وَ بَلَغْتُ هَذَا السِّنَّ.
“I once asked abu Ja’far (a.s.), ’Do you perform optional Salah (prayer) in a sitting position? He (the Imam) replied, ‘I perform them in a sitting position only from the time I have gained this much weight and reached this age.’”
قُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّا نَتَحَدَّثُ نَقُولُ مَنْ صَلَّى وَ هُوَ جَالِسٌ مِنْ غَيْرِ عِلَّةٍ كَانَتْ صَلَاتُهُ رَكْعَتَيْنِ بِرَكْعَةٍ وَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ بِسَجْدَةٍ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ هُوَ هَكَذَا هِيَ تَامَّةٌ لَكُمْ.
“I once said to abu Ja’far (a.s.), that we speak and say that whoever performs Salah (prayer) in a sitting position without good reason, his two Rak’at are counted as one Rak’at and his two Sajdah (prostration) are counted as one Sajdah (prostration). He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not that way. It is complete for you.’”
إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيُوعَكُ وَ يَحْرَجُ[1] وَ لَكِنَّهُ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَ لَكِنْ إِذَا قَوِيَ فَلْيَقُمْ.
‘A man is unwell and experiences anguish; however, he knows better about himself. When he is able he must stand up.’”
سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الرَّجُلِ وَ الْمَرْأَةِ يَذْهَبُ بَصَرُهُ فَيَأْتِيهِ الْأَطِبَّاءُ فَيَقُولُونَ نُدَاوِيكَ شَهْراً أَوْ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً مُسْتَلْقِياً كَذَلِكَ يُصَلِّي فَرَخَّصَ فِي ذَلِكَ وَ قَالَ فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ باغٍ وَ لا عادٍ فَلا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ[2].
“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man and a woman who lose their eyesight. Physicians say that they can treat them within a month or forty nights while they remain lying down on their back. Can they perform Salah (prayer) in this condition? He (the Imam) gave permission saying, ‘(Permission is granted to) th
سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْمَرِيضِ إِذَا لَمْ يَسْتَطِعِ الْقِيَامَ وَ السُّجُودَ قَالَ يُومِئُ بِرَأْسِهِ إِيمَاءً وَ أَنْ يَضَعَ جَبْهَتَهُ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ.
“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who suffers from an illness and is not able to stand up and perform Sujud (prostrations). He (the Imam) said, ‘He is required to perform his Salah (prayer) by making gestures with his head, and placing his forehead on the ground is lovelier to me.’”
الْمَرِيضُ يُومِئُ إِيمَاءً.
“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘People suffering from illness can make gestures in their Salah (prayer).”’
سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنِ الْمَبْطُونِ فَقَالَ يَبْنِي عَلَى صَلَاتِهِ.
“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the case of one who suffers from an internal illness because of which is not able to control anal discharge. He (the Imam) said, ‘He continues his Salah (prayer) wherever in Salah (prayer) he is.’”
قُلْتُ الرَّجُلُ يُصَلِّي وَ هُوَ قَاعِدٌ فَيَقْرَأُ السُّورَةَ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْتِمَهَا قَامَ فَرَكَعَ بِآخِرِهَا قَالَ صَلَاتُهُ صَلَاةُ الْقَائِمِ.
“I once asked abu Ja’far (a.s.), about a man who performs Salah (prayer) in a sitting position. He recites Surah (chapter). When he wants to complete it he stands up then performs Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees). He (the Imam) said, ‘His Salah (prayer) is like that of the one who performs it in a standing position.’
لَا بَأْسَ وَ لَا أَرَاهُ إِلَّا قَالَ فِي الْمُعْتَلِّ وَ الْمَرِيضِ. - وَ فِي حَدِيثٍ آخَرَ يُصَلِّي مُتَرَبِّعاً وَ مَادّاً رِجْلَيْهِ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ وَاسِعٌ.
“Sinan once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who during Salah (prayer) stretches one of his legs in his front while he is sitting. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’ I do not think except that he (the Imam) said it about one with health problems or illness. In another Hadith it is said that he can perform
سُئِلَ[1] عَنِ الْأَسِيرِ يَأْسِرُهُ الْمُشْرِكُونَ فَتَحْضُرُ الصَّلَاةُ وَ يَمْنَعُهُ الَّذِي أَسَرَهُ مِنْهَا قَالَ يُومِئُ إِيمَاءً.
“He (the Imam) (a.s.), was asked about the captive of the pagans. It becomes time for Salah (prayer) and the captor does not allow him to perform Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘He performs Salah (prayer) by making gestures.’”
الصَّحِيحُ يُصَلِّي قَائِماً وَ قُعُوداً الْمَرِيضُ يُصَلِّي جَالِساً وَ عَلى جُنُوبِهِمْ الَّذِي يَكُونُ أَضْعَفَ مِنَ الْمَرِيضِ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي جَالِساً.
“About the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘. . . those who speak of Allah, standing, sitting and while lying on their sides. . .’ (32:15) abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘A healthy person performs Salah (prayer) standing. One suffering from an illness performs Salah (prayer) sitting, and ‘on their sides’ is
يُصَلِّي الْمَرِيضُ قَائماً فَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْدِرْ على ذلك صلى قاعدا فان لم يقدر صَلَّى مُسْتَلْقِياً يُكَبِّرُ ثُمَّ يَقْرَأُ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ الرُّكُوعَ غَمَّضَ عَيْنَيْهِ ثُمَّ سَبَّحَ ثُمَّ يَفْتَحُ عَيْنَيْهِ فَيَكُونُ فَتْحُ عَيْنَيْهِ رَفْعَ رَأْسِهِ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَسْجُدَ غَمَّضَ عَيْنَيْهِ ثُمَّ سَبَّحَ فَإِذَا سَبَّحَ فَتَحَ عَيْنَيْهِ فَيَكُونُ فَتْحُ عَيْنَيْهِ رَفْعَ رَأْسِهِ مِنَ الس
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘One suffering from an illness performs Salah (prayer) in a sitting position; if one cannot do this also, one does so while lying on one’s back, says Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) then recites. For Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) closes his eyes, then says Tasbih (Allah
سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْمَرِيضِ أَ يَحِلُّ لَهُ أَنْ يَقُومَ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ وَ يَسْجُدَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ قَالَ فَقَالَ إِذَا كَانَ الْفِرَاشُ غَلِيظاً قَدْرَ آجُرَّةٍ أَوْ أَقَلَّ اسْتَقَامَ لَهُ أَنْ يَقُومَ عَلَيْهِ وَ يَسْجُدَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ وَ إِنْ كَانَ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَلَا.
“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who suffers from an illness: if it is permissible to stand up on his floor furnishing and perform Sajdah (prostration) on earth. He (the Imam) said, ‘If the furnishing is thick of the size of a brick or less, he can stand up on it and perform Sajdah (prostration) on eart