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 رَوَى عُمَرُ بْنُ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ اَلْمَرِيضِ كَيْفَ يَسْجُدُ فَقَالَ «عَلَى خُمْرَةٍ أَوْ عَلَى مِرْوَحَةٍ أَوْ عَلَى سِوَاكٍ يُرْفَعُ إِلَيْهِ وَ هُوَ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ اَلْإِيمَاءِ إِنَّمَا كَرَّهَ مَنْ كَرَّهَ اَلسُّجُودَ عَلَى اَلْمِرْوَحَةِ مِنْ أَجْلِ اَلْأَوْثَانِ اَلَّتِي كَانَتْ تُعْبَدُ مِنْ دُونِ اَللَّهِ وَ إِنَّا لَمْ نَعْبُدْ غَيْرَ اَللَّهِ قَطُّ فَاسْجُدُوا عَلَى اَلْمِرْوَحَةِ وَ عَلَى اَلسِّوَاكِ وَ عَلَى عُودٍ.
Umar ibn Udhaynah narrated from Zurarah from Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام that he asked about how a sick person should perform prostration (Sujood). Abu Ja'far said: "On a small mat (Khumrah), a fan (Miroohah), or a stick (Miswak) that is raised to them, and this is better than mere gesturing. The disapproval from some for prostrating on a fan was due to the idols that were worshiped besides Allah سبحانه وتعالى. However, we have never worshiped anything besides Allah سبحانه وتعالى, so prostrate on the fan, on the Miswak, or on a piece of wood."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh, p. 48