Performing Salaat while Sitting on a Chair

Standing, bowing, and prostrating are pillars of the Salaat, and should be performed in the manner prescribed in the Shari’ah. Whoever is not able to perform them due to sickness or old age, then it is permissible for him to sit on the ground or on a chair. ‘Imran ibn Hussain (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated: “I had piles, so I asked the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) about the Salaat (prayers).

Therefore, whoever is able to say the Takbeeratul-Ihram while standing, his Salaat will not be valid if he says it while sitting.

An-Nawawi (Rahimahullaah) said: “Takbeeratul-Ihraam should be said with all its letters in the state of standing. If one says one letter of it in other than the standing posture then his Salaat is not valid without any dispute (among Scholars).” [End quote]

Shaikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (Rahimahullaah) said: “The Muslims are in consensus that if the person who prays is incapable to do some of the obligatory acts of the Salaat (prayer) such as standing, reciting, Ruku’ (bowing), Sujood (prostration), covering the ‘Awrah, facing the Qiblah, and so forth; then it will be waived for him what he is incapable of performing.” [End quote – Majmoo’ Al-Fatawa]

This means that whatever he is able to perform is not waived from him.

Shaikh As-Sa’dee (Rahimahullaah) said in his explanation of Allaah’s Statement: “So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can” [Surat At-Taghaabun (64:16)]: “This Ayah (verse) indicates that every obligation the slave is unable to perform is no longer required from him. If one is only able to perform a part of an obligation, but not the other parts, one performs whatever he can of it. In this case, he is not required to perform the parts that he is unable to perform. The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘Whatever command I give you, do of it whatever you are able to do.’ [Al-Bukhaari].”

It should be noted that if a person is exempt from standing, his excuse does not make it permissible for him to sit on a chair to bow and prostrate. If he is exempt from bowing and prostrating in the proper way, that excuse does not make it permissible for him to sit on the chair instead of standing.

If a person is unable to perform the Ruku’ and Sujood then he must perform as much as he is able to of them such that he bends down and makes his bending for the Sujood (prostration) lower than for the Ruku’ (bowing).

Ibn Qudaamah (Rahimahullaah) said: “If a person is able to stand but he cannot bow or prostrate then standing is not waived for him; he should pray standing and bend his head for bowing, then sit down and bend his head for the prostration.” [End quote]

The Placement of a Chair in the Row

First: For the person who is able to stand during the Salaat.

The chair should be placed behind the row as shown in figure (1) and the person should be level with the row when standing, i.e. his heels should join the heels of those who are next to him. It is wrong to advance the chair such that the person will be standing in front of the row, as shown in figure (2).

Figure -1-     Figure -2 –

Nu’man ibn Basheer (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) reported that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to straighten our rows as if he was straightening an arrow, until he saw that we had learned it. Then he came out one day and was about to say the Takbeer when he noticed a man whose chest was sticking out from the row. He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Slaves of Allaah! Make your rows straight or Allaah will cause discord among you.” [Muslim no. 436]

Based on this, the chair should be behind the row and placed in such a manner that it will not disturb the worshippers in the row behind.

Second: The person who is unable to stand throughout the Salaat or who is sitting in a wheelchair.

The Scholars stated that the one who prays sitting down from the beginning until the end should have his position in line with the row when he is sitting, so he should not be in front of the row or behind it at that point because that is the place in which the body settles. In other words he should make the place where he will sit level with the row, as shown in figure (3).

   Figure -3-

The following should be considered when sitting on a chair in the Salaat:

1 – One should bring a small chair suitable for the place such that he does not constrict those who pray behind him, or he should sit at the edge of the row.

2 – Avoid using big chairs that have tables attached in front of them, such as the one shown in figure (4), because it:

a)    Causes gaps in the rows because of its huge size

b)   It is not correct to prostrate on that table attached to the chair

c)    Consists of a support for leaning on as it is not permissible for the person who prays to recline or lean on his hands or his back during the Salaat.

Figure -4-

3 – The ‘Ulama stated that the person who prays while leaning on something such that if it is removed he may fall, then his Salaat is not valid unless he is excused for his leaning.

Al-Buhooti said: “It is disliked to lean on a wall because it removes the hardship of standing without necessity. When the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) became aged and the flesh grew increasingly on him, he took a pillar at his place of prayer and reclined on it.” [Abu Dawoud no. 948 and Al-Albaani graded it Saheeh]

If the person who reclines on the pillar falls down when what he reclines on is removed, then his Salaat will not be valid because he is not standing.” [End quote]

Accordingly, leaning on something without necessity is disliked. The evidence for that is what is reported by Ahmad and Abu Dawoud on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) who said: “Allaah’s Messenger forbade a man to sit in the Salaat whilst leaning on his hands.” [Authenticated by Al-Albaani in Mishkat al-Masabeeh no. 874 and graded Saheeh]

Those who are praying whilst sitting on chairs should not lean on their backs nor on their hands without need or necessity and they should not remove their feet from the standing position. They should neither lift up their feet nor put one on top of the other when sitting on the chair. Rather, they should be placed on the ground and facing the Qiblah.

Ibn Rajab (Rahimahullaah) said: “Ibn Juraij reported on the authority of Ibraheem ibn Maysarah that Tawoos said: ‘I have not seen any other person praying like ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma). He was very strict to face the Qiblah with his face, palms, and feet.’”

Naafi’ reported that Ibn ‘Umar (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) said: “If one of you prostrates, let him face the Qiblah with his hands because they prostrate with the face.” He also reported that when Ibn ‘Umar (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) prayed, he faced the Qiblah with everything, even his shoes.”

Al-Mas’oodi reported on the authority of ‘Uthmaan ath-Thaqafi that ‘Aishah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anha) saw a man with hands slanted away from the Qiblah. She said: “Make them straight towards the Qiblah.”

Many of the Salaf recommended that, such as Saalim, Al-Qaasim ibn Muhammad, Al-Hasan, and Ibn Sireen. Hafs ibn ‘Aasim said that it is part of the Sunnah.

It should be borne in mind that chairs should not be used as a means of reserving a place in the Masjid and being angry if the chairs are removed from their places. This is because reserving places in the Masjid is forbidden.

The Way of Praying on a Chair

Shaikh ‘Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (Rahimahullaah) said: “The one who prays sitting on the ground or on a chair must make his prostration lower than his bowing. The Sunnah is for him to put his hands on his knees when bowing; and when prostrating, the Sunnah is to put them on the ground if possible. If he cannot do that then he should put them on his knees because it was proven that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones: the forehead – and he pointed to his nose – the two hands, the two knees, and the edges of the two feet (i.e. the toes).’ If a person is unable to do that and prays on a chair, there is nothing wrong with that, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can.” [At-Taghaabun (64:16)] and the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘If I tell you to do a thing, then do as much of it as you can.’ [Saheeh – Agreed upon].”[End quote]

[Fataawa Ibn Baaz 12/245,246]

Sources:

The Positions of the Chairs in the row in the Masjid by Shaikh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn ‘Abdullaah as- Suhaim (The Da’iyah in the Ministry of Islamic Affairs in Ar-Riyadh)

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