Prayer of the Sick, the Unconscious, the Weak and the Infirm, the Elderly and Others
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 51
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh
Book 1, Chapter 51
Prayer of the Sick, the Unconscious, the Weak and the Infirm, the Elderly and Others
وَ رُوِيَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ أَبِي زِيَادٍ اَلْكَرْخِيِّ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ رَجُلٌ شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُ اَلْقِيَامَ إِلَى اَلْخَلاَءِ لِضَعْفِهِ وَ لاَ يُمْكِنُهُ اَلرُّكُوعُ وَ اَلسُّجُودُ فَقَالَ «لِيُومِ بِرَأْسِهِ إِيمَاءً وَ إِنْ كَانَ لَهُ مَنْ يَرْفَعُ إِلَيْهِ اَلْخُمْرَةَ فَلْيَسْجُدْ فَإِنْ لَمْ يُمْكِنْهُ ذَلِكَ فَلْيُومِ بِرَأْسِهِ نَحْوَ اَلْقِبْلَةِ إِيمَاءً» قُلْتُ فَالصِّيَامُ قَالَ «إِذَا كَانَ فِي ذَلِكَ اَلْحَدِّ فَقَدْ وَضَعَ اَللَّهُ عَنْهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُ مَقْدُرَةٌ فَصَدَقَةُ مُدٍّ مِنَ اَلطَّعَامِ بَدَلَ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ يَسَارُ ذَلِكَ فَلاَ شَيْءَ عَلَيْهِ.
Ibrahim ibn Abi Ziyad al-Karkhi narrated: I asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام about an elderly man who could not stand up due to weakness and was unable to perform ruku‘ (bowing) or sujood (prostration). Imam عليه السلام said: "He should perform his prayer with gestures (īmā’), directing his head towards the Qiblah. If he has someone to raise the ṣaḥfa (a mat or a piece of cloth, typically used for prostration) for him, then he should prostrate. If he is unable to do so, he should perform his prayer with gestures (īmā’) facing the Qiblah." I asked: "What about fasting?" Imam عليه السلام said: "If he has reached such a state, then Allah سبحانه وتعالى has excused him from fasting. If he is able, he should give a ṣadaqa (charity) of a mud (a portion of food) for each day, which is preferable. If he is not able to do this, then there is nothing required of him."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh, p. 49