The Manner of Ritual Purity and the Prayer of the Sick Person

Question:
This is a question from the listener Abdul Fadhil al-Jamili from Iraq - Mosul. He says: While he was riding in one of the military vehicles, he was involved in an accident that resulted in a fracture of his spinal column, which left him bedridden and deprived him of sensation in parts of his body, as well as awareness of what may come out of him that invalidates the ablution. He may also sometimes experience a blockage in the urinary tract, which led the doctors to advise him to drink a lot of water constantly. He is asking about fasting Ramadan: what should he do? And what is obligatory for him to do if he breaks his fast while in this condition, with no hope of recovery from this illness? Does he have to pay an expiation, and what is it? He also asks regarding the prayer: how does he pray? How does he perform the ablution? And what should he do if his ablution is invalidated without him feeling or being aware of it during the prayer? How should he handle all these situations?

Answer:
As for fasting, he must fast if he is able to fast. He must fast if he is able to fast. However, if the doctors have determined that fasting will harm him due to his current illness, then he does not fast. And if they determine that his fasting in the future is not expected, meaning: his recovery is not expected to be a recovery that enables him to fast, then he does not fast either. He must feed a poor person for each day, just like the old man and the old woman who are unable to fast; they expiate by feeding a poor person for each day. So the sick person whose recovery is not expected, and the doctors have determined that his recovery is not expected, his ruling is the same as the old man and the old woman: he feeds a poor person for each day half a sa' of dates, or other staple food of the country, which is approximately one and a half kilograms. However, if his recovery is expected, and his healing is expected, but fasting harms him, then he does not fast at that time. But when he recovers and when Allah grants him health, he fasts.

The presenter: And he does not feed?

The Shaykh: And he does not feed.
As for the prayer, he prays according to his condition. You, my brother, must pray according to your condition. Perform the ablution if you are able to perform the ablution with water, if water is brought close to you, and perform the ablution if you are able. If you are not able, perform the dry ablution after wiping the excrement with tissues. The excrement from the back passage and the front passage, when the time enters, when the time enters, you and the one who attends to you who serves you, wipe the excrement with tissues three times or more; because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): So it is necessary to wipe three times or more for the front and the back, until the trace is removed, and until no trace remains in the back passage and the front passage. After this, perform the ablution for prayer if you are able, otherwise the dry ablution is sufficient. Strike the earth with your hands; the earth is brought to you in a container, or in a bag, or in a cloth, and you strike the earth with your hands and wipe your face and your palms once, and you pray in the time. You combine the midday and afternoon prayers, and the sunset and night prayers, and you pray the dawn prayer in its time according to your ability. You are in your bed on your side, or lying down, or sitting, according to your ability: [Al-Taghabun:16] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the sick person, and you are sick. This is what is obligatory for you: pray standing if you are able, if you are unable, pray sitting, if you are unable, pray on your side, if you are unable, pray lying down facing the qiblah, make your feet face the qiblah, and indicate with your hands. Say the takbir for the opening intention raising your hands for the bowing, likewise you recite and intend the bowing and say the takbir, you intend the rising and rise, you say: Allah hears the one who praises Him, you intend the bowing, the prostration you say the takbir intending the prostration, and so on with the intention and the words.
First: you intend the prayer and say the takbir, you perform the prescribed opening supplication and recitation, then you intend the bowing and say the takbir, and you say: Glory be to my Lord the Most Great, Glory be to my Lord the Most Great, Glory be to my Lord the Most Great, and the dhikr of the bowing. Then you intend the rising, and you say: Allah hears the one who praises Him - with the intention of rising from the bowing - Our Lord, and to You is praise, and so on.
Then you intend the prostration and say: Allah is the Greatest, intending the prostration you say: Glory be to my Lord the Most High, Glory be to my Lord the Most High, and so on. Then you intend the rising and say: Allah is the Greatest, intending the rising from the first prostration, you say: My Lord, forgive me, My Lord, forgive me, My Lord, forgive me. Then you say the takbir intending the second prostration, and so on, with the intention and the prescribed words. And Allah the Exalted says: [Al-Baqarah:286] And He says : [Al-Taghabun:16] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And praise be to Allah. Yes, may Allah heal you.
The presenter: May Allah reward you. If it was determined that his recovery from this illness is not expected, and the ruling is as you have mentioned that he feeds a poor person for each day, but then he recovered, for Allah is able to do everything, does he make up the fasts?

The Shaykh: It suffices for him - if Allah wills.

The presenter: Or is the feeding sufficient?

The Shaykh: If he makes them up, it is more cautious. Otherwise, it suffices for him according to the correct opinion; because he did it on the belief that he was excused. If Allah heals him, the scholars differ. Some said: he makes them up. And some said: he does not make them up.
If he makes them up, it is more cautious; because it became apparent that he was not one from whom hope was lost. When he recovered, it became apparent that the reality is that he was not one from whom hope was lost, so he makes them up. And a group said: he did what Allah prescribed on the belief that recovery was not expected, so that suffices for him. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with the best reward.