Rulings on the Ritual Purity and Prayer of the Sick Person
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Fatwa No. ( 17798 )
Praise be to Allah alone, and blessings and peace be upon the one after whom there is no prophet. And after: The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta has reviewed what was sent to His Eminence the Grand Mufti from one of the advising brothers, and referred to the Committee by the General Secretariat of the Council of Senior Scholars with number (5431) and date 25 \ 12 \ 1414 AH. His letter stated what he observed of the ignorance of some patients in hospitals regarding how to perform the prayer, and how to attain ritual purity for it in some of their conditions where they are unable, and his desire for a detailed fatwa on the rulings of the ritual purity and prayer of the sick person .
After the Committee studied what was mentioned, it responded as follows: First: The purity of the sick person: 1 - The sick person must perform the same acts of purity with water as the healthy person for both minor and major states of ritual impurity; he performs wudu' for the minor and ghusl for the major. 2 - Before wudu', it is necessary to perform istinja' with water, or istijmar
with stones or what serves as a substitute for them for one who has urinated or defecated. It is necessary in istijmar to use three pure stones, and it is not permissible to perform istijmar with dung, bones, food, or anything that has sanctity. The best is to perform istijmar with stones and what is similar to them, such as handkerchiefs and paper, and the like, then follow it with water; because the stones remove the substance of the impurity, and the water purifies the place, making it more thorough. A person has the choice between istinja' with water or istijmar with stones and what is similar to them. If he wants to restrict himself to one of them, water is better; because it purifies the place, and removes the substance and the trace, and it is more thorough in cleaning. If he restricts himself to the stone, three stones suffice him if he cleanses the place with them. If they are not sufficient, he adds a fourth and fifth until he cleanses the place, and the best is to stop at an odd number. It is not permissible to perform istijmar with the right hand. If his left hand is cut off, or has a fracture, or a disease, or the like, he performs istijmar with his right hand out of necessity, and there is no blame on him for that. 3 - If the sick person is unable to perform wudu' with water due to his inability, or his fear of the disease worsening, or the delay of his recovery, he performs tayammum. Tayammum is: that he strikes with his hands on pure earth once, then wipes his face with the inner parts of his fingers and his palms with his palms. It is permissible to perform tayammum on any pure thing that has dust, even if it is not on the ground, such as if dust flies, for example, onto a wall or the like, it is permissible to perform tayammum on it. If he remains in his purity from the first tayammum, he prays with it like wudu', even for several prayers, and he is not required to renew his tayammum; because it is a substitute for water, and the substitute has the ruling of the substituted. Tayammum is invalidated by everything that invalidates wudu', and by the ability to use water or its existence if it was absent. 4 - If the illness is slight and he does not fear loss or a dangerous illness from using water with it, or delay in recovery, or increase in pain, or something excessive, such as a headache or toothache or the like, or if he is able to use warm water and there is no harm to him - then it is not permissible for him to perform tayammum; because its permissibility here is to remove harm, and there is no harm on him, and because he is a finder of water, so he is obligated to use it. 5 - If it is difficult for the sick person to perform wudu' or tayammum himself, another person performs wudu' or tayammum for him, and that suffices him. 6 - One who has wounds, sores, a fracture, or a disease where using water harms him, if he becomes in a state of major ritual impurity - it is permissible for him to perform tayammum. If he is able to wash the healthy part of
his body, it is obligatory for him to do so, and he performs tayammum for the rest. 7 - One who has a wound in one of the limbs of purity, he washes it with water. If it is difficult for him to wash it, or if he is harmed by it, he wipes it with water while washing the limb that has the wound according to the order. If it is difficult for him to wipe it, or if he is harmed by it, he performs tayammum for it, and that suffices him. 8 - The one with a cast: he is the one who has a bound fracture in one of his limbs and has a cloth or the like on it. He wipes over it with water, and that suffices him, even if he did not place it while in a state of purity. 9 - It is obligatory for the sick person, if he wants to pray, to strive to purify his body, his clothes, and his place of prayer from impurities. If he is unable, he prays in his condition, and there is no blame on him. 10 - If the sick person is afflicted with urinary incontinence, and he does not recover from its treatment, he must perform istinja' and wudu' for every prayer after the time of its entry, and wash what affects his body and his clothing, or make a pure garment for the prayer if it is not difficult for him to make the pure garment for the prayer. Otherwise, he is excused. He must take precaution for himself that prevents the spread of urine in his clothing or his body or his place of prayer by placing a guard on the head of the penis. Second: The Prayer of the Sick Person:
1 - It is obligatory for the sick person to pray standing as much as he is able. 2 - One who cannot stand prays sitting, and the best is to be in a sitting position (mutarabbia') in place of standing. 3 - If he is unable to pray sitting, he prays on his side facing the qiblah with his face, and the recommended is that he be on his right side. 4 - If he is unable to pray on his side, he prays lying down with his feet toward the qiblah. 5 - One who is able to stand but unable to bow or prostrate, standing is not dropped from him. Rather, he prays standing and indicates the bowing, then sits and indicates the prostration. 6 - If he has an eye disease and a trustworthy doctor says: If you pray lying down, your treatment is possible, otherwise it is not, then he may pray lying down. 7 - One who is unable to bow and prostrate indicates them, and makes the prostration lower than the bowing. 8 - One who is unable to prostrate alone bows and indicates the prostration. 9 - One who cannot bend his back bends his neck. If his back is curved so that he is as if he is bowing, whenever he wants to bow, he increases his bending slightly, and brings his face closer to the ground in prostration as much as he can
do that. 10 - If he is unable to indicate with his head, he says the takbir, recites, and intends with his heart the standing, the bowing, the rising from it, the prostration, the rising from it, the sitting between the two prostrations, and the sitting for the tashahhud, and he performs the mentioned dhikr. As for what some patients do of indicating with the finger, it has no basis. 11 - Whenever the sick person is able during his prayer to do what he was unable to do, such as standing, sitting, bowing, prostrating, or indicating, he moves to it and builds upon what has passed of his prayer. 12 - If the sick person or another person sleeps or forgets a prayer, it is obligatory for him to pray it when he wakes up from sleep or when he remembers it. It is not permissible for him to leave it until the time of a similar prayer enters to pray it in it. 13 - It is not permissible to leave the prayer in any circumstance. Rather, it is obligatory for the one who has reached the age of accountability to strive for the prayer in all his conditions, in his health and his sickness; because it is the pillar of Islam and the greatest of the obligations after the testimonies of faith. So it is not permissible for a Muslim to leave the obligatory prayer until its time passes, even if he is sick, as long as his mind is sound. Rather, he must perform it in its time according to his ability, as mentioned in the details. As for what some patients do of delaying the prayer until they recover
that. 10 - If he is unable to indicate with his head, he says takbir, recites, and intends with his heart the standing, the bowing, the rising from it, the prostration, the rising from it, the sitting between the two prostrations, and the sitting for the tashahhud, and he performs the prescribed dhikr. As for what some sick people do by pointing with their finger, there is no basis for it. 11 - Whenever the sick person is able during his prayer to do what he was previously unable to do, such as standing, sitting, bowing, prostrating, or indicating, he transitions to it and builds upon what has passed of his prayer. 12 - If the sick person or anyone else sleeps through a prayer or forgets it, it is obligatory for him to pray it when he wakes up from sleep or when he remembers it, and it is not permissible for him to leave it until the time of a similar prayer enters so that he can pray it then. 13 - It is not permissible to leave the prayer under any circumstances; rather, it is obligatory for the one who has reached the age of accountability to strive to pray in all his conditions, in his health and in his sickness; because it is the pillar of Islam and the greatest of the obligatory acts after the two testimonies. Therefore, it is not permissible for a Muslim to leave the obligatory prayer until its time passes, even if he is sick, as long as his mind is sound. Rather, he must perform it in its time according to his ability, as detailed above. As for what some sick people do of delaying the prayer until they recover
from their illness, that is a matter that is not permissible and has no basis in the pure Shari'ah. 14 - If it is difficult for the sick person to perform each prayer in its time, he may combine the Zuhr and 'Asr, and the Maghrib and 'Isha', either by bringing them forward or delaying them, according to what is easy for him. If he wishes, he brings 'Asr forward with Zuhr, and if he wishes, he delays Zuhr with 'Asr, and if he wishes, he brings 'Isha' forward with Maghrib, and if he wishes, he delays Maghrib with 'Isha'. As for Fajr, it is not combined with what comes before it or what comes after it; because its time is separate from what comes before it and what comes after it. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Praise be to Allah alone, and blessings and peace be upon the one after whom there is no prophet. And after: The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta has reviewed what was sent to His Eminence the Grand Mufti from one of the advising brothers, and referred to the Committee by the General Secretariat of the Council of Senior Scholars with number (5431) and date 25 \ 12 \ 1414 AH. His letter stated what he observed of the ignorance of some patients in hospitals regarding how to perform the prayer, and how to attain ritual purity for it in some of their conditions where they are unable, and his desire for a detailed fatwa on the rulings of the ritual purity and prayer of the sick person .
After the Committee studied what was mentioned, it responded as follows: First: The purity of the sick person: 1 - The sick person must perform the same acts of purity with water as the healthy person for both minor and major states of ritual impurity; he performs wudu' for the minor and ghusl for the major. 2 - Before wudu', it is necessary to perform istinja' with water, or istijmar
with stones or what serves as a substitute for them for one who has urinated or defecated. It is necessary in istijmar to use three pure stones, and it is not permissible to perform istijmar with dung, bones, food, or anything that has sanctity. The best is to perform istijmar with stones and what is similar to them, such as handkerchiefs and paper, and the like, then follow it with water; because the stones remove the substance of the impurity, and the water purifies the place, making it more thorough. A person has the choice between istinja' with water or istijmar with stones and what is similar to them. If he wants to restrict himself to one of them, water is better; because it purifies the place, and removes the substance and the trace, and it is more thorough in cleaning. If he restricts himself to the stone, three stones suffice him if he cleanses the place with them. If they are not sufficient, he adds a fourth and fifth until he cleanses the place, and the best is to stop at an odd number. It is not permissible to perform istijmar with the right hand. If his left hand is cut off, or has a fracture, or a disease, or the like, he performs istijmar with his right hand out of necessity, and there is no blame on him for that. 3 - If the sick person is unable to perform wudu' with water due to his inability, or his fear of the disease worsening, or the delay of his recovery, he performs tayammum. Tayammum is: that he strikes with his hands on pure earth once, then wipes his face with the inner parts of his fingers and his palms with his palms. It is permissible to perform tayammum on any pure thing that has dust, even if it is not on the ground, such as if dust flies, for example, onto a wall or the like, it is permissible to perform tayammum on it. If he remains in his purity from the first tayammum, he prays with it like wudu', even for several prayers, and he is not required to renew his tayammum; because it is a substitute for water, and the substitute has the ruling of the substituted. Tayammum is invalidated by everything that invalidates wudu', and by the ability to use water or its existence if it was absent. 4 - If the illness is slight and he does not fear loss or a dangerous illness from using water with it, or delay in recovery, or increase in pain, or something excessive, such as a headache or toothache or the like, or if he is able to use warm water and there is no harm to him - then it is not permissible for him to perform tayammum; because its permissibility here is to remove harm, and there is no harm on him, and because he is a finder of water, so he is obligated to use it. 5 - If it is difficult for the sick person to perform wudu' or tayammum himself, another person performs wudu' or tayammum for him, and that suffices him. 6 - One who has wounds, sores, a fracture, or a disease where using water harms him, if he becomes in a state of major ritual impurity - it is permissible for him to perform tayammum. If he is able to wash the healthy part of
his body, it is obligatory for him to do so, and he performs tayammum for the rest. 7 - One who has a wound in one of the limbs of purity, he washes it with water. If it is difficult for him to wash it, or if he is harmed by it, he wipes it with water while washing the limb that has the wound according to the order. If it is difficult for him to wipe it, or if he is harmed by it, he performs tayammum for it, and that suffices him. 8 - The one with a cast: he is the one who has a bound fracture in one of his limbs and has a cloth or the like on it. He wipes over it with water, and that suffices him, even if he did not place it while in a state of purity. 9 - It is obligatory for the sick person, if he wants to pray, to strive to purify his body, his clothes, and his place of prayer from impurities. If he is unable, he prays in his condition, and there is no blame on him. 10 - If the sick person is afflicted with urinary incontinence, and he does not recover from its treatment, he must perform istinja' and wudu' for every prayer after the time of its entry, and wash what affects his body and his clothing, or make a pure garment for the prayer if it is not difficult for him to make the pure garment for the prayer. Otherwise, he is excused. He must take precaution for himself that prevents the spread of urine in his clothing or his body or his place of prayer by placing a guard on the head of the penis. Second: The Prayer of the Sick Person:
1 - It is obligatory for the sick person to pray standing as much as he is able. 2 - One who cannot stand prays sitting, and the best is to be in a sitting position (mutarabbia') in place of standing. 3 - If he is unable to pray sitting, he prays on his side facing the qiblah with his face, and the recommended is that he be on his right side. 4 - If he is unable to pray on his side, he prays lying down with his feet toward the qiblah. 5 - One who is able to stand but unable to bow or prostrate, standing is not dropped from him. Rather, he prays standing and indicates the bowing, then sits and indicates the prostration. 6 - If he has an eye disease and a trustworthy doctor says: If you pray lying down, your treatment is possible, otherwise it is not, then he may pray lying down. 7 - One who is unable to bow and prostrate indicates them, and makes the prostration lower than the bowing. 8 - One who is unable to prostrate alone bows and indicates the prostration. 9 - One who cannot bend his back bends his neck. If his back is curved so that he is as if he is bowing, whenever he wants to bow, he increases his bending slightly, and brings his face closer to the ground in prostration as much as he can
do that. 10 - If he is unable to indicate with his head, he says the takbir, recites, and intends with his heart the standing, the bowing, the rising from it, the prostration, the rising from it, the sitting between the two prostrations, and the sitting for the tashahhud, and he performs the mentioned dhikr. As for what some patients do of indicating with the finger, it has no basis. 11 - Whenever the sick person is able during his prayer to do what he was unable to do, such as standing, sitting, bowing, prostrating, or indicating, he moves to it and builds upon what has passed of his prayer. 12 - If the sick person or another person sleeps or forgets a prayer, it is obligatory for him to pray it when he wakes up from sleep or when he remembers it. It is not permissible for him to leave it until the time of a similar prayer enters to pray it in it. 13 - It is not permissible to leave the prayer in any circumstance. Rather, it is obligatory for the one who has reached the age of accountability to strive for the prayer in all his conditions, in his health and his sickness; because it is the pillar of Islam and the greatest of the obligations after the testimonies of faith. So it is not permissible for a Muslim to leave the obligatory prayer until its time passes, even if he is sick, as long as his mind is sound. Rather, he must perform it in its time according to his ability, as mentioned in the details. As for what some patients do of delaying the prayer until they recover
that. 10 - If he is unable to indicate with his head, he says takbir, recites, and intends with his heart the standing, the bowing, the rising from it, the prostration, the rising from it, the sitting between the two prostrations, and the sitting for the tashahhud, and he performs the prescribed dhikr. As for what some sick people do by pointing with their finger, there is no basis for it. 11 - Whenever the sick person is able during his prayer to do what he was previously unable to do, such as standing, sitting, bowing, prostrating, or indicating, he transitions to it and builds upon what has passed of his prayer. 12 - If the sick person or anyone else sleeps through a prayer or forgets it, it is obligatory for him to pray it when he wakes up from sleep or when he remembers it, and it is not permissible for him to leave it until the time of a similar prayer enters so that he can pray it then. 13 - It is not permissible to leave the prayer under any circumstances; rather, it is obligatory for the one who has reached the age of accountability to strive to pray in all his conditions, in his health and in his sickness; because it is the pillar of Islam and the greatest of the obligatory acts after the two testimonies. Therefore, it is not permissible for a Muslim to leave the obligatory prayer until its time passes, even if he is sick, as long as his mind is sound. Rather, he must perform it in its time according to his ability, as detailed above. As for what some sick people do of delaying the prayer until they recover
from their illness, that is a matter that is not permissible and has no basis in the pure Shari'ah. 14 - If it is difficult for the sick person to perform each prayer in its time, he may combine the Zuhr and 'Asr, and the Maghrib and 'Isha', either by bringing them forward or delaying them, according to what is easy for him. If he wishes, he brings 'Asr forward with Zuhr, and if he wishes, he delays Zuhr with 'Asr, and if he wishes, he brings 'Isha' forward with Maghrib, and if he wishes, he delays Maghrib with 'Isha'. As for Fajr, it is not combined with what comes before it or what comes after it; because its time is separate from what comes before it and what comes after it. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
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The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.