The sister who signed her name as Umm Abdul-Salam from Al-Qassab asks: "Is there a difference between the bowing and prostration of a person who prays sitting due to inability? Should there be a distinction in the positioning of the hands and the curvature of the back, or is the affair open? Please guide us, may Allah reward you."
Shaykh, Al-Allāmah, AbdulAzīz bin Bāz, رحمه الله تعالى, answers:
"It is obligatory upon those who pray sitting on the ground or chair, that their prostration is lower that their bowing.
The sunnah for him is that he places his hands on his knees whilst bowing. As for whilst he is prostrating, it is obligatory to place both hands on the ground, if he is able to do so.
If he is unable to place them both(hands) on the ground then he places them on his knees (during prostration). That is due to what has been authentically reported by the Messenger ﷺ:
'I have been commanded to pray on seven bones forehead(and he indicated to his nose), hands, knees and toes.' - [Al-Bukhāri: 812 and Muslim: 490]
As for those unable to do that and have to pray sitting. There is no difficult upon them in doing that. Allāh says:
'So keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can.' - [At-taghābun:16]
And the saying of the Messenger ﷺ:
'If I have ordered you with an affair, then act upon as much of it as you are able.'" - [Al-Bukhāri: 7288 and Muslim: 1337]
- Majmū Al-Fatāwa of Shaykh ibn Bāz [12/245]
Comments