Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

As salam o Alikum,

my question is we can pray salah for any one who is not keeping well? and if we cannot pray for any reason we can do sadaqah for that?

please reply back.......

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Answer:

Ill sick fever prayer supplications

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 155-157:

155 Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives (or health), or the fruits (of your toil); but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere.

156 Who say when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah we belong and to Him is our return."

157 They are those on whom (descend) blessings from Allah and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 4.1

Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet (saws) said: "When Allah wants to be good to someone, He tries him with some hardship."

Abu Hurairah reports that Allah's Messenger (saws) said: "For every misfortune, illness, anxiety, grief, or hurt that afflicts a Muslim -even the hurt caused by the pricking of a thorn - Allah removes some of his sins."

Ibn Mas'ud said: "I visited the Messenger of Allah (saws) while he (saws) had a fever. I exclaimed: 'O Messenger of Allah (saws) ! You have a high fever!' He (saws) said: 'My fever is as much as two among you [might have].' I asked: 'Is it because you have a double reward?' He (saws) replied: 'Yes, that is right. No Muslim is afflicted with any hurt, even if it is no more than the pricking of a thorn, but Allah wipes off his sins because of it and his sins fall away from him as leaves fall from a tree'."

Sahih Muslim Hadith 6244 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

Allah's Messenger (saws) visited Umm Musayyib and said: ‘O Umm Musayyib, why is it that you are shivering?’ She said: ‘It is fever, and may it not be blessed by Allah!’, whereupon he (the Prophet (saws)) said: ‘Don't curse fever for it expiates the sin of the posterity of Adam just as furnace removes the alloy of iron.’

The Messenger of Allah (saws) encouraged the believers to visit their brethren and loved one’s who fell ill or sick, say kind words to them, exhort them towards patience and perseverance, and make supplications to Allah Subhanah to relieve their illness.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 4.8a

Topic: supplications for illness

Aishah reports that the Prophet (saws) used to seek refuge in Allah for some of his family members. He used to touch them with his right hand, saying: ‘Allahahuma Rabbin nas adhhabal ba'sa, ashfi wa antashafi, la shifa' illa shifa'uka shifa' la yughadiru saqma’ (O Allah! The Sustainer of mankind! Remove the illness, cure the disease. You are the One Who cures. There is no cure except Your cure. Grant (us) a cure that leaves no illness.)

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

Uthman ibn Abu Al-'As relates that once he complained of pain in his body to Allah's Messenger (saws). The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: 'Put your hand where you feel pain in your body and say, "Bismillah (in the name of Allah)," and say, "A 'udhu bi 'izzatillah wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhadhiru” (I seek refuge in the Might of Allah and in His Power from the evil that I find and that I fear)," seven times'." Uthman continued: "I did that a few times and Allah removed my pain. I always advised my family and others to do the same."

Related by Muslim.

Muhammad ibn Salim reported: "Thabit Al-Banani said to me: 'O Muhammad! When you have any pain, put your hand where you feel pain, then say: ‘Bismallah a'udhu bi'izatillah min shari ma ajidu min waj'i hadha’ (In the Name of Allah! I seek refuge in Allah's Might from the evil of this pain). Then remove your hand, and repeat the same for an odd number of times. Then he said to me that Anas ibn Malik had told him that Allah's Messenger (saws) had taught this to him."

Related by Tirmidhi.

Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas reports that the Prophet (saws) visited him while he was sick and said: 'O Allah, make Sa'd well! O Allah, make Sa'd well! Make Sa'd well!"' Related by Muslim.

Your Question: my question is we can pray salah for any one who is not keeping well?

Dear and beloved Sister in Islam, the ‘salaah’ or prayers are a worship in Islam which each individual can do only for himself. Whatever the situation or condition, it is not permissible in Shariah for a believer to offer the ‘salaah’ for another.

As long as one is conscious, regardless of the state of their health, it is absolutely obligatory and incumbent upon them to offer at least their five obligatory prayers. If one is sick or unwell, he may pray in a sitting position; if one cannot even do that, they may pray lying down by making gestures with their eyes…..Every individual is required to make their own ‘salaah’, for the ‘salaah’ or prayer is a worship which cannot be performed by one for another, nor transferred from one to another.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.103

Whoever has some excuse due to illness and cannot stand during the ‘fard’ salah is allowed to pray sitting. If he cannot pray in a sitting posture, he may pray while on his side by making gestures. In such a case, his gestures for sajdah should be lower than those for his ruku'. This principle is based on Allah's words: "...And celebrate Allah's praises, standing, sitting, and lying on your sides." (Al Quran 3:191)

Imran ibn Hussain says: "I had piles [hemorrhoids], so I asked the Prophet (saws) about the prayer and he (saws) said: 'Offer the salah while standing, and if you cannot do so, pray while sitting, and if you can't do that, then make salah while Iying on your side, and if you cannot even do that, then offer the salaah while lying on your back (and making gestures). Allah does not burden a soul, save with what it can bear."

Related by Bukhari and An-Nasai. : "

Your Question: and if we cannot pray for any reason we can do sadaqah for that?

We assume that by the term ‘sadaqah’ used in your question you mean a ‘kaffarah’, or an atonement for missing the salaah.

Dear and beloved Sister in Islam, intentionally missing one’s obligatory prayers, unless one is a child, or insane, or unconscious, or a woman experiencing her menstruation, is not even an option in Shariah.

If one, for any genuine reason misses one’s obligatory prayer, the only ‘kaffarah’ or atonement is to offer that prayer at a later time…and there is no expiation or atonement save that! There is no amount one can pay in ‘sadaqah’ which would atone for missing one of the obligatory prayers in Islam.

Anas related that the Prophet (saws) said, "Whoever forgets a prayer should pray it when he remembers it, and there is no expiation for it save that."

Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan