I traveled outside the Kingdom for work, and the journey lasted approximately fourteen hours, during which the times for three prayers passed.
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The questioner : He says: I traveled, O honorable Shaykh, outside the Kingdom for work, and the journey lasted approximately fourteen hours, during which the times for three prayers passed, and the same occurred when we returned to the Kingdom. My question, O honorableThe Shaykh : We prayed while sitting on the seats because there were no suitable places for prayer, and we are not allowed to pray in the aisles. Is our prayer valid, or is it obligatory for us to stand, even if it is difficult for us?
The Shaykh : It appears to me that standing is not difficult on an airplane; every person is able to stand, so he should stand. If he is able to face the qiblah, he should do so. If he is not able, or if the qiblah is not clear, he prays in the direction he is facing. Can he bow? Or what can he do? Yes. And Allah knows best, according to the seats, if they are close together and he cannot bow, but if he can, let him bow. Can he prostrate? No, for prostration he sits and gestures with his hand. So the brother’s statement that he cannot stand is questionable. However, if he asks the person in front of him to move the seat back, he says to him: "Move it for me," because the air space is attached to the seat, as we have established in the agreement; the air space of the seat the passenger is on does not belong to the person in front of him. In other words, if it reaches the limit of his seat, he does not have the right to it. Yes. If the brother sees that he should repeat the prayer, that is better. If he does not repeat it, I hope there is no harm in it. Yes.
Brother 'Ayd, please go ahead.
The Shaykh : It appears to me that standing is not difficult on an airplane; every person is able to stand, so he should stand. If he is able to face the qiblah, he should do so. If he is not able, or if the qiblah is not clear, he prays in the direction he is facing. Can he bow? Or what can he do? Yes. And Allah knows best, according to the seats, if they are close together and he cannot bow, but if he can, let him bow. Can he prostrate? No, for prostration he sits and gestures with his hand. So the brother’s statement that he cannot stand is questionable. However, if he asks the person in front of him to move the seat back, he says to him: "Move it for me," because the air space is attached to the seat, as we have established in the agreement; the air space of the seat the passenger is on does not belong to the person in front of him. In other words, if it reaches the limit of his seat, he does not have the right to it. Yes. If the brother sees that he should repeat the prayer, that is better. If he does not repeat it, I hope there is no harm in it. Yes.
Brother 'Ayd, please go ahead.