The ruling on delaying the prayer from its time for the sick person

Question:
Many sick people err in their prayer. Some do not pray on the grounds that their clothes are impure, or that they are unable to perform wudu (ablution), and they postpone the prayers until they leave the hospital, or they combine them and then pray them. Is there any clarification for our sick brothers regarding this?

Answer:
It is obligatory for the sick person to fear Allah, to be mindful of Allah, and to pray the prayer in its time. It is not permissible for him to delay it from its times. If he needs to, he combines the prayer between Dhuhr and Asr, and between Maghrib and Isha. As for delaying it from its time, it is not permissible. 'Imran ibn Husayn, while he was sick, said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), asking about the prayer of the sick person: "Pray sitting down. If you cannot, then pray lying on your side. If you cannot, then pray lying on your back." We did not grant him a dispensation to delay the prayer. So it is obligatory for the sick people to pray in the time, and it is not permissible for them to delay. If there is impurity in the garment, it is washed, or if it is on the body, it is washed. If water is difficult for him and he cannot perform wudu, he performs tayammum (dry ablution). So the one who is unable to perform wudu due to his illness performs tayammum and prays the prayer of its time. Dhuhr in its time, Asr in its time, Maghrib in its time, Isha in its time, and Fajr in its time. There is no harm in combining. If the need calls for combining, he combines between Dhuhr and Asr in the time of one of them, and between Maghrib and Isha in the time of one of them. There is no harm. If it is difficult for him to pray every prayer in its time, he combines between them due to the illness, just as the traveler combines. As for delaying Maghrib from its time, or Isha from its time, or Fajr from its time, this is not permissible. Rather, it is obligatory for him to pray in its time. The two times are one time. If he combines between Dhuhr and Asr, their time becomes one. And if he combines between Maghrib and Isha, their time becomes one. But he does not delay Asr until the sun turns yellow, and he does not delay Dhuhr until the time of Asr unless he intends to combine. Likewise for Maghrib and Isha, he does not delay them except after the disappearance of the twilight, unless he is in a hurry and wants to combine, in which case there is no harm in delaying them with Isha or bringing Isha forward with them. As for being lax in this matter, it is not permissible. And taking it out of its time intentionally without a valid religious excuse is disbelief. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: and the one who intentionally leaves it from its time, or intentionally leaves it until he does not pray until the sun rises, or when he goes to work, this is intentionally leaving it. So this is disbelief according to a group of the scholars of knowledge. So it is obligatory to be cautious. We ask Allah for safety and well-being.

The presenter:
O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you.