Notes Concerning the Ritual Purity and Prayer of the Sick Person

Answer:
I missed a point that I should have mentioned in the talk, which is that it is obligatory for the sick person to perform the prayer in its time, whatever his condition may be: if he is able to stand, he prays standing; if he cannot, he prays sitting; if he cannot sit, he prays on his side; and if he cannot do that, he prays lying on his back. It is not permissible for him to delay the prayer to another time, as some sick people do, saying: "I will delay it, perhaps I will be cured and I will pray it in a more complete manner." No, it is obligatory for the sick person to pray in its time according to his condition. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to some of the Companions when he was sick: Al-Bukhari narrated it in "Sahih al-Bukhari," and al-Nasa'i added in a narration: .
This is the obligation for the sick man and the sick woman; the woman is the same. It is obligatory to pray standing if one is able. If the man or the woman is unable, he or she prays sitting, in whatever manner of sitting: sitting cross-legged, or otherwise, in whatever state of sitting according to his or her condition. If he or she is unable to sit, he or she prays on his or her side, and it is better to be on the right side if that is possible. If the right side is not possible, then the left side. If he or she is unable, he or she prays lying on his or her back, with the feet toward the qiblah.
Then, wudu' is necessary when one is able. If one is unable, he performs tayammum with earth. There should be some earth in a container or in a bag near his bed, to be used for tayammum when he is unable to use water.
We wrote to the Minister of Health two or three years ago, and he issued a general circular—we received a copy of it—to all hospitals regarding the obligation to have some earth near the beds of patients if they are unable to use water; based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): , and in the other wording: , and Allah says in His great Book: [al-Nisa: 43], so the pure is the surface of the earth.
So it is obligatory for the responsible parties in every hospital, and in this hospital, to pay attention to this matter, and for the doctors and nurses to pay attention to this matter, so that the patient is not forgotten, but rather is taught and directed to pray according to his condition: sitting, standing, or on his side, according to his capacity: [al-Taghabun: 16], and to... perform tayammum when he is unable to use water, and to pray in its time. There is no harm in combining the two prayers; there is no harm in combining Dhuhr and 'Asr in the time of one of them, either combining by advancing or combining by delaying. There is no harm in combining Maghrib and 'Isha' in the time of one of them, combining by delaying or combining by advancing. There is no harm in that due to illness.
We ask Allah for success for everyone.