The Prayer of the Deaf and Mute
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Fatwa No. ( 1716 )
Q: I have a female relative who is deaf and cannot hear, and mute and cannot speak. She does not understand what is said to her except by gesture in some matters. She prays, but her prayer is inconsistent, adding and subtracting; because she does not understand our teaching her how to pray and fast. She fasts because she sees people fasting, but when Ramadan ends and she has days to make up, she refuses to make up what she missed; because she does not see anyone fasting. We are unable to teach her because she does not understand this. We ask you to issue a ruling and guide us on how she can perform her acts of worship, and whether she is obligated to perform all acts of worship like a sane person; because she does not understand what is being said?
A: When the time for prayer arrives, it is possible to have her pray with another woman and follow her in prayer. As for fasting, it is also possible for her to fast with women who have days to make up. If there are no women in the house with days to make up, it is possible for one of the men or women of the household to volunteer to fast on Mondays and Thursdays, for example, and she can follow him. This is a matter of excellence (ihsan), and Allah has commanded it, so He the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:195] It is also possible, if no one is available to fast with her, to prepare her the pre-dawn meal (suhur) and the meal for breaking the fast (iftar) and make her think that he is fasting with her, even if he is not. However, he must not eat or drink in her presence during the day, but rather hide it from her so that
she does not imitate him in eating and drinking during the day. 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 female relative who is deaf and cannot hear, and mute and cannot speak. She does not understand what is said to her except by gesture in some matters. She prays, but her prayer is inconsistent, adding and subtracting; because she does not understand our teaching her how to pray and fast. She fasts because she sees people fasting, but when Ramadan ends and she has days to make up, she refuses to make up what she missed; because she does not see anyone fasting. We are unable to teach her because she does not understand this. We ask you to issue a ruling and guide us on how she can perform her acts of worship, and whether she is obligated to perform all acts of worship like a sane person; because she does not understand what is being said?
A: When the time for prayer arrives, it is possible to have her pray with another woman and follow her in prayer. As for fasting, it is also possible for her to fast with women who have days to make up. If there are no women in the house with days to make up, it is possible for one of the men or women of the household to volunteer to fast on Mondays and Thursdays, for example, and she can follow him. This is a matter of excellence (ihsan), and Allah has commanded it, so He the Exalted said:
And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.
وَأَحْسِنُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَshe does not imitate him in eating and drinking during the day. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.