How does a person who is bedridden and unable to move perform the prayer?

Question:
I have a sister who is thirty years old and has not prayed because she is paralyzed in her limbs and has not moved any part of her body, but her mind is sound. Does the prayer become excused for her? She cannot even perform wudu, nor stand up to relieve herself; she is unable to do so, and for most of the time she is not in a state of purity. Is the prayer obligatory upon her?

Answer:
As long as her mind is with her, she must pray with intention and speech. It is upon those with her, such as her mother, father, sister, or the like, to direct her. They should wash her face if possible, wash her face and hands if she has hands, and likewise wipe her head and ears, and wash her feet. It is upon those with her, whether a mother or a servant, to do this for her.
She is to be taught the prayer; she is to be taught to pray with intention and speech. If she is able to bow, she bows in the air. If she is able to prostrate, she prostrates even if she is sitting. If she cannot sit, she prays on her side or lying on her back according to her condition: [al-Taghabun:16]. The point is that she is to be taught.
When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked by 'Imran ibn Husayn—and he was suffering from an illness—the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: He learns according to his capacity.
And so it is with wudu, and so it is with removing impurity from her—the najasah. Her mother, sister, or a servant removes the impurity with tissues or the like. She wipes her private parts with a tissue, and she should have clean, pure tissues to wipe the private parts with, three times, or five times, or seven times, until the place is purified. It is better for it to be an odd number, and three is the minimum; it must not be less than three until the place is purified. If it is not purified with three, then four. If it is purified with four, completing a fifth is better; because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): And if it is completed with six, it is completed with a seventh, and so on.
The point is that this istijmar (cleaning with stones or similar) suffices for removing impurity from the back passage and the front passage in the case of this paralyzed woman, the sick person, and those similar to them who are unable to do so. And so it is for the healthy person; even the healthy person, if he performs istijmar, it suffices for him instead of water: if he performs istijmar three times or more and purifies the place with stones or tissues or other pure things, except for bones and dung, for one does not perform istinja' with them. Bones and dung are not used for istinja'. But if he performs istijmar with stones or wood that is suitable, or with tissues that are suitable, until he removes the impurity and purifies the place, with three times or more, but not less than three; three or more is necessary, and purifying the place is necessary. Even if he exceeds three, purifying the place is necessary until it is clean, and it suffices for water. If water is used in addition to that, it is more complete and better.
She prays according to her condition: if she is able to bow, she bows; if she is able to prostrate, she prostrates. If she cannot, she bows in the air a little, and prostrates a little in the air, lower than the bowing, according to her capacity. If she cannot move at all, it is by intention: she says takbir, saying "Allahu Akbar," and recites al-Fatihah, and recites what is easy for her. Then she says takbir and intends the bowing and says "Subhan Rabbi al-'Azeem, Subhan Rabbi al-'Azeem." Then she says "Sami' Allahu li man hamidah" intending the rising from the bowing, and says "Rabbana wa laka al-hamd," and so on. Then she says "Allahu Akbar" intending the prostration, and says "Subhan Rabbi al-A'la, Subhan Rabbi al-A'la," and so on. Then she says "Allahu Akbar" intending the sitting between the two prostrations, and says "Rabbi ighfir li, Rabbi ighfir li." Then she says "Allahu Akbar" intending the second prostration, and says "Subhan Rabbi al-A'la, Subhan Rabbi al-A'la." Then she says "Allahu Akbar" intending the standing, then she recites, and so on until she completes it.