What are the rulings for a sick person regarding his fasting and his prayer?

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : Regarding the sick person in relation to fasting, we said that our Lord - Mighty and Majestic - said: . This sick person is either one whom we imagine to have reached those last days in a state of health and soundness, not being sick, or we imagine that his illness is a chronic one, meaning he has not been cured. In this case, fasting is not obligatory upon him because he is unable to do it. But my opinion is that when you say: "He did not fast and did not pray," you do not mean a person with a chronic illness, but rather someone who fell ill during Ramadan and has not made up this Ramadan, just as he did not pray during his illness. So, before I expand on the answer - I am guessing - I am saying: Do you mean a person with a chronic illness, or do you mean a person who fell ill and then recovered? Is that what you mean?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Good; so it is said to him: Your Lord has bestowed a favor upon you and shown mercy to you and said to you: . Why did you not make up all of Ramadan or part of it? You were sick before, and we accepted your excuse, in these other days; why did you not fast Ramadan? Meaning, why did you not make up Ramadan? He has no excuse except laziness and being preoccupied with the world away from the obedience of Allah - Mighty and Majestic.

The questioner : Okay; what about the prayer?

The Shaykh : What about prayer? The situation of the sick person in prayer is not the same as in fasting. Allah granted the sick person a dispensation not to fast, because fasting lasts twelve, ten, or fourteen hours depending on the day, so He lightened the burden and said regarding him: . As for prayer, it is not permissible for the sick person to delay the prayer beyond its time, as detailed previously. So he (peace be upon him) said to 'Umar ibn al-Husayn, a well-known noble Companion, who said about himself: "I had piles, so I asked the Messenger (peace be upon him), and he said to him: . Therefore, what excuse does this sick person have who says, "I am sick and I do not pray"? If Allah had obligated him strictly to pray standing, and he was in that condition...The Shaykh : ...who is unable to stay on his mount, and this person cannot stand; he falls down. If the Shari'ah were like that, we would excuse him for being unable to do so, and our Lord knows the true state of the person. But no, He established a second stage: if you cannot pray standing, pray sitting; if you cannot pray sitting, pray on your side; and if you are lying down, then what excuse does the one who did not pray have? He has no excuse. It may be said: this person is bedridden, and many of the sick become bedridden in the morning or evening, unable to purify themselves, unable to clean themselves, unable to perform wudu, and so on. He (Mighty and Majestic) said, out of mercy for His servants: . What can this sick person do with the means of purification? Let him do what he can, and our Lord does not burden him with more than that. What is easier for him than being on his bed or mattress, if he is able to strike his palms like this on the wall next to him, or with some clean, smooth earth, sand, or stone, doing this, and it is as if he performed a complete wudu, and he prays to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) while on his bed? Therefore, this sick person has no excuse for leaving the prayer. He has an excuse for leaving fasting in Ramadan, but he has no excuse for not making it up, as He (the Exalted) said: .
This is the answer to what you asked, and it is hopefully clear.