Praying while sitting

Question: A woman had an accident a few years ago and now she has a slipped disc and a severe hip and back problem. This is a chronic condition. Now when she reads salah she starts standing and after a rakaat or two, she sits. This happens every Salah! So can a woman incorporate sitting and standing or should she rather sit because she is aware that she cannot finish the entire salah standing because of pain? Sometimes she only reads one rakaat standing because of the opinion that her salah won’t be counted if she does not. بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

If standing would cause extreme pain to you, however, you can stand for some of the prayer, e.g. standing for the first or two rakats is bearable, then you should stand to the extent of your capability. Afterward, if you feel that you cannot stand any longer, you may complete the prayer sitting, along with making ruku and sujood. Keep in mind, if you can easily stand whilst leaning on something, e.g. a stick, wall, etc., then you must do so, and you would not be excused from standing.

Raddul Muhtar: v. 2, p. 564-567 (Maktaba Imdadia); Fatawa Hindiya: v. 1, p. 150 (DKI); Hashiya At-Tahtawi: p. 430-431 (Qadeemi Kutub Khana)

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Mohammad Ahsan Osmani Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah Darul Ifta Birmingham