The Prayer of the Mentally Ill Patient
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa No. ( 18639 )
Q: I have a father who suffers from a mental condition, and he has this illness once every year or two. He remains mentally confused for a period of three to six months. When he is fully cured, with the help of Allah, I say to him: Why do you not pray? He says to me: When I pray, I become distracted (I wander off); I do not know what I prayed, and I forget
even what the imam recited. He says: I pray with my body, but my mind does not pray, so he abandoned it. It is known that he does not experience forgetfulness and confusion only in prayer, but in everything. It is known that he has been in this state for sixteen years due to this illness. Please inform us, may Allah reward you, and may Allah reward you a thousand times over.
A: If the situation is as described, that he has lost his mind, then there is no prayer required of the person mentioned during the period in which he loses his mind. And when his mind returns to him, he prays during the period in which he is lucid according to his ability; because of the saying of Allah, Mighty and Majestic:[At-Taghabun 64:16] And he owes nothing during the period in which he loses his mind, because the pen is lifted from him during that time. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I have a father who suffers from a mental condition, and he has this illness once every year or two. He remains mentally confused for a period of three to six months. When he is fully cured, with the help of Allah, I say to him: Why do you not pray? He says to me: When I pray, I become distracted (I wander off); I do not know what I prayed, and I forget
even what the imam recited. He says: I pray with my body, but my mind does not pray, so he abandoned it. It is known that he does not experience forgetfulness and confusion only in prayer, but in everything. It is known that he has been in this state for sixteen years due to this illness. Please inform us, may Allah reward you, and may Allah reward you a thousand times over.
A: If the situation is as described, that he has lost his mind, then there is no prayer required of the person mentioned during the period in which he loses his mind. And when his mind returns to him, he prays during the period in which he is lucid according to his ability; because of the saying of Allah, Mighty and Majestic:
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.