Prayer on a Ship
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 62
سَأَلَ عُبَيْدُ اَللَّهِ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ اَلْحَلَبِيُّ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنِ اَلصَّلاَةِ فِي اَلسَّفِينَةِ فَقَالَ «يَسْتَقْبِلُ اَلْقِبْلَةَ وَ يَصُفُّ رِجْلَيْهِ، فَإِنْ دَارَتْ وَ اِسْتَطَاعَ أَنْ يَتَوَجَّهَ إِلَى اَلْقِبْلَةِ فَلْيَفْعَلْ وَ إِلاَّ فَلْيُصَلِّ حَيْثُ تَوَجَّهَتْ بِهِ وَ إِنْ أَمْكَنَهُ اَلْقِيَامُ فَلْيُصَلِّ قَائِماً وَ إِلاَّ فَلْيَقْعُدْ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي.
Ubaydullah ibn Ali Al-Halabi asked Abu Abdullah عليه السلام about praying on a ship. Imam عليه السلام said: "Face the Qiblah and place your feet firmly. If the ship turns and you are able to adjust to face the Qiblah, then do so. If not, then pray in whatever direction it turns you. If you can stand, then pray standing; otherwise, sit and pray”.
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ لَهُ جَمِيلُ بْنُ دَرَّاجٍ: تَكُونُ اَلسَّفِينَةُ قَرِيبَةً مِنَ اَلْجُدِّ، فَأَخْرُجُ وَ أُصَلِّي قَالَ «صَلِّ فِيهَا أَ مَا تَرْضَى بِصَلاَةِ نُوحٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ.
Jamil ibn Darraj asked him (Abu Abdullah عليه السلام): "The ship is close to the shore ; should I disembark and pray?" He عليه السلام replied: "Pray on it (the ship). Are you not content with the prayer of Noah عليه السلام?"
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ لَهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مَيْمُونٍ: نَخْرُجُ إِلَى اَلْأَهْوَازِ فِي اَلسُّفُنِ فَنُجَمِّعُ فِيهَا اَلصَّلاَةَ فَقَالَ «نَعَمْ لَيْسَ بِهِ بَأْسٌ» فَقَالَ لَهُ فَنَسْجُدُ عَلَى مَا فِيهَا وَ عَلَى اَلْقِيرِ قَالَ «لاَ بَأْسَ.
Ibrahim ibn Maymun said to him (Abu Abdullah عليه السلام): "We travel to Ahwaz in ships, and we combine the prayers on board." He عليه السلام replied: "Yes, there is no harm in that." He further asked: "And we prostrate on what is in the ship and on the pitch (tar)?" Imam عليه السلام said: "There is no harm."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh, p. 66
وَ رَوَى عَنْهُ مَنْصُورُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «اَلْقِيرُ مِنْ نَبَاتِ اَلْأَرْضِ.
Mansur ibn Hazim reported from him (Abu Abdullah عليه السلام) that He said: "Pitch (tar) is from the vegetation of the earth."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَ سَأَلَ زُرَارَةُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي اَلرَّجُلِ يُصَلِّي اَلنَّوَافِلَ فِي اَلسَّفِينَةِ قَالَ «يُصَلِّي نَحْوَ رَأْسِهَا.
Zurarah asked Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام about a man performing supererogatory (nafilah) prayers on a ship. Imam عليه السلام said: "He should pray in the direction of its front (bow)."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh, p. 66
وَ سَأَلَ يُونُسُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنِ اَلصَّلاَةِ فِي اَلْفُرَاتِ وَ مَا هُوَ أَصْغَرُ مِنْهُ مِنَ اَلْأَنْهَارِ فِي اَلسَّفِينَةِ فَقَالَ «إِنْ صَلَّيْتَ فَحَسَنٌ وَ إِنْ خَرَجْتَ فَحَسَنٌ» وَ سَأَلَهُ عَنِ اَلصَّلاَةِ فِي اَلسَّفِينَةِ وَ هِيَ تَأْخُذُ شَرْقاً وَ غَرْباً فَقَالَ «اِسْتَقْبِلِ اَلْقِبْلَةَ ثُمَّ كَبِّرْ ثُمَّ دُرْ مَعَ اَلسَّفِينَةِ حَيْثُ دَارَتْ بِكَ.
Yunus ibn Ya'qub asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام about praying in the Euphrates or smaller rivers while on a ship. Imam عليه السلام said: "If you pray (on the ship), it is good, and if you disembark to pray, it is also good." He further asked about praying on a ship that moves eastward and westward. He عليه السلام replied: "Face the Qiblah, say the takbir (opening declaration of prayer), and then turn with the ship wherever it turns."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَ سَأَلَهُ هَارُونُ بْنُ حَمْزَةَ اَلْغَنَوِيُّ: عَنِ اَلصَّلاَةِ فِي اَلسَّفِينَةِ فَقَالَ «إِنْ كَانَتْ مُحَمَّلَةً ثَقِيلَةً إِذَا قُمْتَ فِيهَا لَمْ تَتَحَرَّكْ فَصَلِّ قَائِماً وَ إِنْ كَانَتْ خَفِيفَةً تَكَفَّأُ فَصَلِّ قَاعِداً.
Harun ibn Hamzah al-Ghanawi asked him (Abu Abdullah عليه السلام) about praying on a ship. Imam عليه السلام said: "If it is heavily loaded and does not move when you stand, then pray standing. But if it is light and unstable, then pray seated."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh, p. 66
وَ سَأَلَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ أَخَاهُ مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ يَكُونُ فِي اَلسَّفِينَةِ هَلْ يَجُوزُ لَهُ أَنْ يَضَعَ اَلْحَصِيرَ عَلَى اَلْمَتَاعِ أَوِ اَلْقَتِّ وَ اَلتِّبْنِ وَ اَلْحِنْطَةِ وَ اَلشَّعِيرِ وَ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّيَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ «لاَ بَأْسَ.
Ali ibn Ja'far asked his brother Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim عليه السلام about a man on a ship: Is it permissible for him to place a mat over goods, straw, wheat, barley, or other items and then pray on it? Imam عليه السلام said: "There is no harm."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh, p. 67
وَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِذَا رَكِبْتَ اَلسَّفِينَةَ وَ كَانَتْ تَسِيرُ فَصَلِّ وَ أَنْتَ جَالِسٌ وَ إِذَا كَانَتْ وَاقِفَةً فَصَلِّ وَ أَنْتَ قَائِمٌ.
Ali عليه السلام said: "When you are on a ship and it is moving, then pray while seated. If it is stationary, then pray standing."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ لِبَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ: «إِذَا عَزَمَ اَللَّهُ لَكَ عَلَى اَلْبَحْرِ فَقُلِ اَلَّذِي قَالَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: «بِسْمِ اَللّٰهِ مَجْرٰاهٰا وَ مُرْسٰاهٰا إِنَّ رَبِّي لَغَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ» فَإِذَا اِضْطَرَبَ بِكَ اَلْبَحْرُ فَاتَّكِ عَلَى جَانِبِكَ اَلْأَيْمَنِ وَ قُلْ: بِسْمِ اَللَّهِ اُسْكُنْ بِسَكِينَةِ اَللَّهِ وَ قِرَّ بِقَرَارِ اَللَّهِ وَ اِهْدَأْ بِإِذْنِ اَللَّهِ وَ لاَ حَوْلَ وَ لاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ.
Abu Ja'far عليه السلام said to some of his companions: "When Allah سبحانه وتعالى grants you the opportunity to embark on the sea, recite what Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic, said: 'In the Name of Allah سبحانه وتعالى shall be its sailing and its anchoring; indeed, my Lord عز وجل is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful' (Qur'an 11:41). If the sea becomes turbulent for you, lean on your right side and say: 'In the Name of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, be calm with the tranquility of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, be settled with the settling of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, and be at peace by the permission of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, and there is no power nor strength except by Allah سبحانه وتعالى.'"
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: «كَانَ أَبِي عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَكْرَهُ اَلرُّكُوبَ فِي اَلْبَحْرِ لِلتِّجَارَةِ.
Muhammad ibn Muslim reported from one of the Imams عليه السلام who said: "My father عليه السلام disliked traveling by sea for trade."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَ سَأَلَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنْ رُكُوبِ اَلْبَحْرِ فِي هَيَجَانِهِ فَقَالَ «وَ لِمَ يُغَرِّرُ اَلرَّجُلُ بِدِينِهِ.
Muhammad ibn Muslim asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام about traveling by sea when it is turbulent. He عليه السلام replied: "Why would a person endanger his life and his religion?".
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh, p. 67
وَ نَهَى رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ عَنْ رُكُوبِ اَلْبَحْرِ فِي هَيَجَانِهِ.
The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم forbade traveling by sea when it is turbulent.
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «مَا أَجْمَلَ فِي اَلطَّلَبِ مَنْ رَكِبَ اَلْبَحْرَ.
Imam عليه السلام said: "How commendable is the effort of the one who travels by sea to seek [livelihood or purpose]”.
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh