A worshipper who is able to pray standing but is unable to prostrate; how should he pray?
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The questioner : A worshipper who is able to pray standing but is unable to prostrate; meaning, he can bow but cannot prostrate, for example, if he has a problem with his knee. Does he pray standing on a chair and then prostrate on the chair?
The Shaykh : No, as long as he is able to stand, he prays standing.
The questioner : Good, he prayed standing.
The Shaykh : And then he bows and prostrates by nodding his head, making his prostration lower than his bowing.
The questioner : Except for standing.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : There is no such thing as prostrating on a chair.
The Shaykh : There is no such thing as what?
The questioner : There is no such thing as him sitting on a chair or whatever.
The Shaykh : What is the benefit... what did he gain from sitting? He did not achieve standing, he did not achieve bowing, he did not achieve prostration. But nodding in bowing and prostration is a matter established in the Sunnah, whereas dropping standing has no basis whatsoever. And this is the rule:[At-Taghabun 64:16], so if he is able to stand, he does not sit; if he is able to bow, he bows; if he is not able to prostrate, he does not prostrate, but he distinguishes between bowing and prostration by making one lower than the other.
The questioner : Meaning, in this case, he nods while bowing, or he stands, meaning he is able to stand and completes his bowing, and then he stands upright and nods his head.
The Shaykh : Of course, this is necessary. The matter of raising his head from bowing requires bowing, but when he wants to prostrate and he is unable to prostrate, he makes his prostration while not actually prostrating; meaning, not placing his forehead on the ground, because he is unable to do so as is the case. So he makes his lowering... let us call his lowering in bowing, which is his prostration.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : You may notice that many worshippers do not know how to bow. You will find—no offense intended—that their buttocks are higher than their heads, do you understand? And... you know that his head should be level with his back, perfectly. So this person who is unable to prostrate, when he prostrates, he makes his prostration lower than the lawful bowing, just like that.
The questioner : In the form of bowing, meaning?
The Shaykh : There is no option other than this.
Abu Malik: Our Shaykh—may Allah bless you—, a question, and it may be beneficial for everyone. Many people...
The Shaykh : Excuse me... do I have something in mind regarding the previous question?
The questioner: No, no.
The Shaykh : Allow me a note. Something just came to my mind; is he able to sit?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : He is also unable to sit? Ah, I wanted to say that as for the one who is able to sit but is unable to prostrate, he sits and leans forward, do you understand? That is what I wanted to say.
Please, Abu Malik.
The Shaykh : No, as long as he is able to stand, he prays standing.
The questioner : Good, he prayed standing.
The Shaykh : And then he bows and prostrates by nodding his head, making his prostration lower than his bowing.
The questioner : Except for standing.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : There is no such thing as prostrating on a chair.
The Shaykh : There is no such thing as what?
The questioner : There is no such thing as him sitting on a chair or whatever.
The Shaykh : What is the benefit... what did he gain from sitting? He did not achieve standing, he did not achieve bowing, he did not achieve prostration. But nodding in bowing and prostration is a matter established in the Sunnah, whereas dropping standing has no basis whatsoever. And this is the rule:
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْThe questioner : Meaning, in this case, he nods while bowing, or he stands, meaning he is able to stand and completes his bowing, and then he stands upright and nods his head.
The Shaykh : Of course, this is necessary. The matter of raising his head from bowing requires bowing, but when he wants to prostrate and he is unable to prostrate, he makes his prostration while not actually prostrating; meaning, not placing his forehead on the ground, because he is unable to do so as is the case. So he makes his lowering... let us call his lowering in bowing, which is his prostration.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : You may notice that many worshippers do not know how to bow. You will find—no offense intended—that their buttocks are higher than their heads, do you understand? And... you know that his head should be level with his back, perfectly. So this person who is unable to prostrate, when he prostrates, he makes his prostration lower than the lawful bowing, just like that.
The questioner : In the form of bowing, meaning?
The Shaykh : There is no option other than this.
Abu Malik: Our Shaykh—may Allah bless you—, a question, and it may be beneficial for everyone. Many people...
The Shaykh : Excuse me... do I have something in mind regarding the previous question?
The questioner: No, no.
The Shaykh : Allow me a note. Something just came to my mind; is he able to sit?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : He is also unable to sit? Ah, I wanted to say that as for the one who is able to sit but is unable to prostrate, he sits and leans forward, do you understand? That is what I wanted to say.
Please, Abu Malik.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.