A man with epilepsy led the people in prayer one day, and during the prayer he struck his thighs without realizing it. Does this invalidate his prayer or not?
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The questioner: His EminenceThe Shaykh : A man to whom Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has given a type of illness, which is epilepsy. When he stands before Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and recites whatever of the Qur'an is easy for him, he finds that he strikes his thighs, meaning without his will. One day, this man went to one of the mosques. Naturally, the man has a beard, and may Allah reward him, he is committed to the congregation. After that, they presented this man, knowing nothing about him except that he had a companion who was... in the mosque. So he entered the mosque, and the congregation there said to him, "O Shaykh, may Allah bless you, may Allah reward you with good, introduce yourself so that you can lead us in prayer." When this man led the prayer, naturally, and recited whatever was easy for him, in one of the bowings or prostrations, he struck his chest or his legs or his hands without his will. After he finished the prayer, some of the worshippers, may Allah reward them, said, "My brother, the prayer is invalid." Some of them said, "My brother, this is without the man's will; the man is afflicted." So, regarding this man, as you know, he has epilepsy, meaning he does these things without his will. So answer us, and may Allah bless you, in this sense?
The Shaykh: So the matter stopped at this striking that you mentioned, but he did not lose his reason?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: If that is the case, then the prayer is valid.
The questioner : The prayer is valid.
The Shaykh: With this condition, if his mind is with him and he knows what he is saying and reciting, but like what befalls him, a tremor, God forbid, so this movement happened against his will and without any effort or will of his, then the prayer is valid, and it is not permissible for those praying behind him to object to him.
The questioner: The prayer is permissible.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The Shaykh: So the matter stopped at this striking that you mentioned, but he did not lose his reason?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: If that is the case, then the prayer is valid.
The questioner : The prayer is valid.
The Shaykh: With this condition, if his mind is with him and he knows what he is saying and reciting, but like what befalls him, a tremor, God forbid, so this movement happened against his will and without any effort or will of his, then the prayer is valid, and it is not permissible for those praying behind him to object to him.
The questioner: The prayer is permissible.
The Shaykh: Yes.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.