A question regarding the prayer of a mother who cannot bow or prostrate while standing.
[AR_ID:5323]
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1 Answer
Peace be upon you.
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sistani (may Allah protect him):
- She has two options:
Option one: She can pray while standing and gesture for bowing and prostration. It is recommended that her gesture for prostration is lower than that for bowing (the gesture means slightly bending the head down). It is also recommended for her to place her forehead on a suitable surface for prostration, although it is not obligatory.
Option two: She can sit on a chair during prostration and place her forehead on something suitable for prostration on the table in front of her. Then, she can perform the testimony and peace while sitting on the ground. If she cannot sit on the ground, it is recommended that she sits on the chair or something similar.
- If the situation involves standing in the previous part and standing in the subsequent part, the standing position takes precedence over others, whether it is earlier or later in time. In other cases, the earlier position is preferred, except when it is between standing during the takbir and standing connected to bowing, in which case the latter is preferred.
- In this case, her prayer is invalid because she deliberately omitted the required standing, and she must repeat her previous prayers.
Source: Minhaj al-Salihin, Vol. 1, Issue: 649 + 1, 2 + Minhaj al-Salihin - Vol. 1 - Obligations of Prayer
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Khamenei (may Allah protect him):
- She should pray while standing and then bow from a sitting position if she is able to sit in any way possible, even on a chair. The same applies to prostration; she should sit on the chair and place the table in front of her to prostrate on it.
She must observe the places of prostration as much as possible, meaning she should place the clay and the palms of her hands on the table or something similar, with the tips of her big toes on the ground. Therefore, if she raises the clay and places it on her forehead, it is not valid; however, it is not necessary to place her knees on anything.
The gesture only applies if she is completely unable to bow and prostrate, even from a sitting position. In that case, she gestures for prostration with her head, and it is obligatory to raise the prostration to her forehead with her hand.
- Anyone praying from a sitting position must observe standing in every place they can do so without hardship. Therefore, if someone can stand in some units of prayer and cannot maintain standing throughout the prayer, they must pray standing as much as they can, and when they become unable to stand, they complete their prayer from a sitting position. If they regain the ability to stand, they should switch back to standing and complete their prayer from there.
- In this case, her prayer is invalid because she deliberately omitted the required standing, and she must repeat her previous prayers.
Source: Official website: 1, 2, 3 + Message on Prayer and Fasting - Obligations of Prayer - Standing - M157 + 149
May you be successful in all good.