Explanation of the author's statement: "… or fainting …"
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The Shaykh : Likewise, this applies to one whose mind is lost due to fainting. This fainting is the application to the mind; it is applied to it so that he has no sensation at all. Yes, if you tried to wake him, for example, he would not wake up; he is merely a corpse. If he fainted for one or two times, it is obligatory for him to make up those prayers, as this is reported from some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), such as 'Amir ibn Yasir, and by analogy to sleep. Do you understand? This is the well-known position in the madhhab of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Malik and al-Shafi'i, indeed the three Imams, held that making up the prayers is not obligatory for the one who fainted. However, Abu Hanifah (may Allah have mercy on him) said that if it is five prayers or fewer, he makes them up because they are easy and light. But if it exceeds five, he does not make them up. Abu Hanifah's statement is based on some reason and opinion. Listen, Ahmad… Well, I say that Abu Hanifah (may Allah have mercy on him), in his statement that it is based on some opinion, took the 'illah (operative cause) of making up the prayers and took the dropping of the command due to hardship. He said that if he fainted for less than five prayers up to five prayers or fewer, he makes them up, and what exceeds that, he does not make up. But there is no doubt that such a precise estimation requires evidence, because everyone can estimate such a thing, and one would be told, "Bring the evidence, otherwise your estimation is arbitrary." The person for whom five prayers are not difficult, six prayers are not difficult either; it is just the addition of one obligatory prayer. So what is the evidence that you make this the limit? If you do not bring evidence indicating that, your statement is mere arbitrariness and is not accepted. So the comparison now is between the one who says he makes them up absolutely, or does not make them up absolutely. If we look at the reasoning, we find that the stronger position is the one who says he does not make them up absolutely, because his analogy to the sleeper is not correct. The sleeper can be woken up, or he wakes up if he is woken, is that not so?
The audience: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, also sleep is frequent and customary. So if we said that he does not make them up, many of the prayers and obligations would be dropped from him. But when does fainting occur? It may pass a person's entire life without him fainting even once. He may fall from a height and faint, or he may be struck by an illness and faint, is that not so? But in any case, it is not possible to analogize this coma, which is considered complete, to sleep. If you come with a knife and want to cut off his finger, or cut it, he would wake up, but the one who is fainted, if you cut him piece by piece, he would not feel it. So there is a clear difference. As for 'Amir's making up the prayers, if it is authentic from him, it is to be understood as recommended, or out of scrupulousness, or something similar. Do you understand now? Well, what about one whose mind is lost due to anesthesia? Does he make them up or not? We say he makes them up, because this occurred by his choice; he is the one who wanted it, unlike fainting. Since it occurred by his choice, we say you are the one who chose it. Also, the general rule regarding anesthesia, as far as I know, and I may miss a lot of it, is that its duration does not last long, or does it? Generally, it does not last long, but it extends to ten days, fifteen days.
The questioner : No, no.
The Shaykh : In any case, the important thing is that it does not last like fainting. Fainting, sometimes a person faints and sits for ten days, fifteen days, more than that is possible, he may sit for a year. So there is a difference between them.
The audience: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, also sleep is frequent and customary. So if we said that he does not make them up, many of the prayers and obligations would be dropped from him. But when does fainting occur? It may pass a person's entire life without him fainting even once. He may fall from a height and faint, or he may be struck by an illness and faint, is that not so? But in any case, it is not possible to analogize this coma, which is considered complete, to sleep. If you come with a knife and want to cut off his finger, or cut it, he would wake up, but the one who is fainted, if you cut him piece by piece, he would not feel it. So there is a clear difference. As for 'Amir's making up the prayers, if it is authentic from him, it is to be understood as recommended, or out of scrupulousness, or something similar. Do you understand now? Well, what about one whose mind is lost due to anesthesia? Does he make them up or not? We say he makes them up, because this occurred by his choice; he is the one who wanted it, unlike fainting. Since it occurred by his choice, we say you are the one who chose it. Also, the general rule regarding anesthesia, as far as I know, and I may miss a lot of it, is that its duration does not last long, or does it? Generally, it does not last long, but it extends to ten days, fifteen days.
The questioner : No, no.
The Shaykh : In any case, the important thing is that it does not last like fainting. Fainting, sometimes a person faints and sits for ten days, fifteen days, more than that is possible, he may sit for a year. So there is a difference between them.