Question about Islam for whichI haven't able to find a straight answer

[Aydan]

Islam is so centered round prayer rituals… The Koran makes it clear that if you don’t perform the prayer exactly as right your prayer is invalid. My question is this: what happens when a person is disabled and cannot perform the rituals as prescribed? For example, what happens if a person cannot physically perform the prayers or the washing before hand because of a physical disability? Would their prayers be considered invalid? how do disabled Muslims pray anyway? I have not seen these issues addressed on any Islamic web site and I have not been able to get a straight answer on any of these questions.

 

[ralphinal]

We had this conversation on here a while back. If I remember correctly, if you are unable to perform the prayers as perscribed, Allah knows and does not hold it against you. If you CAN do it but choose not to, it is different.

Sister Amy and Hamba were good resources on this, as was Meedo, if I can recall correctly. It seems to me that this is more of an opinion of most scholars than something specifically listed in the Qur’an or ahadith.

 

[Aydan]

yeah I’m interested in what they have to say. But I sure would like to know why I haven’t seen this issue addressed publicly in Islam. Especially when they claim it’s the fastest growing religion in the world. Personally I’m glad I’m Catholic.

 

[Reuben_J]

Islam is so centered round prayer rituals… The Koran makes it clear that if you don’t perform the prayer exactly as right your prayer is invalid. My question is this: what happens when a person is disabled and cannot perform the rituals as prescribed? For example, what happens if a person cannot physically perform the prayers or the washing before hand because of a physical disability? Would their prayers be considered invalid? how do disabled Muslims pray anyway? I have not seen these issues addressed on any Islamic web site and I have not been able to get a straight answer on any of these questions.

Yes, ritual is involved in Islamic prayer, which is called the solath. A rough equivalent in Catholicism is our mass in the sense that it’s an obligation and the prayer (worship) itself involves predetermined ritual. It is not equivalent to our personal prayer. I think for that Muslims have what they call petition or the like where they are free to do it at any time of the day.

The ritual (mainly ablution) mentioned is for able person and when situation permits it to be done accordingly. Thus if they are in the jungle or desert or disabled they are not required to follow the ritual strictly and the prayer is nevertheless valid.

I have some good Muslim friends and this much I know though Muslims here can correct it if I am wrong.

My personal opinion is that prayer is always a good thing. Honestly I don’t want to take away credit from Muslims for practicing this even though it is commanded of them. We are commanded too for participating in the mass. However, I don’t agree that we spend less time in prayer compared to Muslims. I suppose good practicing Christians and Muslims do spend an ample good time in prayers. Mother Teresa would spend at least three hours a day in personal prayer and that not included corporate prayers like the mass or other devotions. I believe a Christian should spend at least an hour a day in personal prayer beside the corporate prayer that we must participate in.

God bless.

 

[Aydan]

Thank You for the information. Yes I quite a bit about Islam I’ve studied it extensively so I understand that in some ways the rituals are similar to Catholic ones but the difference is that we have provisions spelled out for people who cannot kneel for example and it’s made clear that our prayer is still valid. But I was hoping that the Muslims here would tell me why this issue has not been addressed in Islam on Muslim web sites and I’m hoping that they can give me some official doctrine that deals with these issues. I agree prayer is a good thing and I have Muslim friends also. I come in contact with Islam a lot because I admire Turkey very much. It just bothers me as a disabled person that I cannot find answers to these questions.

 

[Reuben_J]

Thank You for the information.

…

It just bothers me as a disabled person that I cannot find answers to these questions.

You’re welcome.

But don’t take it from me as I am not a Muslim. I am quite sure however that a disabled person will not be deprived of the validity of this prayer. I am sure there is an exception to it depending on the cirscumstances and capability of the person and the surrounding.

 

[hamba2han]

Islam is so centered round prayer rituals… The Koran makes it clear that if you don’t perform the prayer exactly as right your prayer is invalid. My question is this: what happens when a person is disabled and cannot perform the rituals as prescribed? For example, what happens if a person cannot physically perform the prayers or the washing before hand because of a physical disability? Would their prayers be considered invalid? how do disabled Muslims pray anyway? I have not seen these issues addressed on any Islamic web site and I have not been able to get a straight answer on any of these questions.

These two links, 1 & 2, should adequately answer your question.

 

[Muslim_Woman]

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Salaam/peace

…what happens if a person cannot physically perform the prayers or the washing before hand because of a physical disability? Would their prayers be considered invalid? .

No way. God is the most kind , ever merciful . How can u think that He won’t accept one’s prayer just because he can’t wash properly because of sickness/ some problem ?

Dry abolution is allowed for those who can’t use water / don’t have enough water . If u are unable to offer prayer standing , u are allowed to do it sitting ; if u can’t do it by sitting , you can do it lieing on your bad .

If one can’t control his/her urine , it’s allowed for him/her to do abolution once , then offer prayer in that position ( when urine drops are coming out, they are called majoor–who don’t have any choice.

If u read Quran , u will find that if one has no intention to disobey God but helpless, s/he will find God merciful.

 

[Muslim_Woman]

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Salaam/peace

… It just bothers me as a disabled person that I cannot find answers to these questions.

I guess , u did not seach properly. If u browse Salat for sick person , u are supposed to get answers

btw , which Islamic sites did u browse ?

 

[meedo]

Islam is so centered round prayer rituals… The Koran makes it clear that if you don’t perform the prayer exactly as right your prayer is invalid. My question is this: what happens when a person is disabled and cannot perform the rituals as prescribed? For example, what happens if a person cannot physically perform the prayers or the washing before hand because of a physical disability? Would their prayers be considered invalid? how do disabled Muslims pray anyway? I have not seen these issues addressed on any Islamic web site and I have not been able to get a straight answer on any of these questions.

i dont know where you get yr information from , but you are mistaken.

In Islam , if you are disabled, you can pray with your eye lashes even . Or you dont have to move anything if you cant.

This is a well known fact among muslims.

best regards,

Meedo

 

[Aydan]

i dont know where you get yr information from , but you are mistaken.

In Islam , if you are disabled, you can pray with your eye lashes even . Or you dont have to move anything if you cant.

This is a well known fact among muslims.

best regards,

Meedo

if that is true tell me why it is not talked about on Muslim web sites even popular ones such as the deen show or any of the web sites I’ve seen for people who have converted to Islam? And why have I never heard any Muslim cleric discuss it if it is a common fact known to all Muslims? By the way I got my information from reading the Koran. I’ve read the entire thing with the exception of the last chapter. And I wonder why it had not been mentioned in the Koran or the writings of Mohammed. Now to be fair and earlier poster on this thread gave me some resources addressing those questions and I have not had a chance to review them. So I’m going to review those and see what they have to say.
Peace be upon you

 

[Aydan]

http://theislampath.com/smf/Smileys/default/salam.gif

Salaam/peace

I guess , u did not seach properly. If u browse Salat for sick person , u are supposed to get answers

btw , which Islamic sites did u browse ?

I browsed quite a few web sites so I cannot name them all. but here are a few of the most common ones I use when I have a question about Islam.
islamicity.com/
dawanet.com/newmuslim/manual/default.asp
is.aswatalislam.net/DisplayFilesP.aspx?TitleID=178&TitleName=Quran_-JD_Hall-_English_Translation_of_the_Quran
thedeenshow.com/objective.php

I did not search using the word sick person but I did search using the word disabled Muslim I even joined a group on Yahoo for disabled Muslims and asked my question there and did not receive an answer from them either. That’s when I decided to post here. But I’m still confused because later on in this thread another Muslim told me that it is commonly known among Muslims that disabled Muslims can perform the prayers according to their abilities then why isn’t that written on web sites and why have I never heard a Muslim cleric discussed this? The sources someone gave me earlier are the first time I’ve ever seen this discussed at all. My knowledge about Islam is good because it is one of the religions I considered before deciding to become Catholic.

 

[Sister_Amy]

Hi Aydan,

I’m not sure why you haven’t come across these rulings. As meedo said, they seem to be quite well-known. It’s actually a basic principle in Islam that if a person isn’t able to do something then he’s not held at fault.

There are a number of ahadith as well to back up that claim. The issues have also been dealt with historically by the scholars of Islam. I guess the reason you aren’t finding it on whatever websites you’re looking to, is that it’s so obvious nobody is spending any time discussing it.

 

[Aydan]

I tell you this it wasn’t obvious to me and I’ve read books written for converts not to mention the Koran itself not only is it not mentioned I’ve never heard discussed either. Don’t you think web sites should discuss it? There are web sites for non-Muslims that explain every other aspect of Islam why is this one left out if it is such common knowledge? The provisions for people with disabilities are clearly laid out in Catholicism but we still discuss it. Why is that not done in Islam ?

http://theislampath.com/smf/Smileys/default/salam.gif

Salaam/peace

I guess , u did not seach properly. If u browse Salat for sick person , u are supposed to get answers

btw , which Islamic sites did u browse ?

Hi Aydan,

I’m not sure why you haven’t come across these rulings. As meedo said, they seem to be quite well-known. It’s actually a basic principle in Islam that if a person isn’t able to do something then he’s not held at fault.

There are a number of ahadith as well to back up that claim. The issues have also been dealt with historically by the scholars of Islam. I guess the reason you aren’t finding it on whatever websites you’re looking to, is that it’s so obvious nobody is spending any time discussing it.

 

[Muslim_Woman]

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Salaam/peace

… I’ve never heard discussed either.

Sorry to know that you faced so difficulty to find an easy answer.

It reminds me of frustration of a revert sis. She asked Muslims several questions about Islam but nobody ever told her that anyone can become a Muslim. She liked Islam but she thought a western people can’t become a Muslim . Otherwise , after seeing her interest , why nobody is inviting her to accept it ?

related link:

A Pregnant Woman Praying while Sitting

…“Allah would not place a burden on you, but He would purify you and would perfect His grace upon you, that ye may give thanks.” (Al-Ma’idah: 6)

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way.”

…“So keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can.” (At-Taghabun: 16)

“Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope.” (Al-Baqarah: 286)

…I was suffering from hemorrhoids and I asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about praying. He said, “Pray standing, and if you cannot, then sitting down, and if you cannot, then lying on your side.”

islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503546708

 

[Aydan]

Yes it saddens me that this issue is not discussed on any of the web sites or books I have read even the ones for converts. Before becoming Catholic, I used to think that I couldn’t be a Muslim because I couldn’t perform the prayers as prescribed. It concerns me that other people with disabilities could have the same concerns which is why I bring up the issue in the first place . Of course, now that I’m Catholic I’m committed to my faith and have no desire to convert anymore but that does not mean that I’m not concerned for other disabled people. Plus I’m hoping to work with refugees and I would like to focus my efforts on helping Turkish refugees as much as possible which is why I’m trying to learn about Islam so I can be aware of customs and other sensibilities. I wish more Muslims would ask these web sites to discuss this issue. Especially those I mentioned in my earlier post to you.

http://theislampath.com/smf/Smileys/default/salam.gif

Salaam/peace

I guess , u did not seach properly. If u browse Salat for sick person , u are supposed to get answers

btw , which Islamic sites did u browse ?

 

[Sister_Amy]

I think the question comes up more often about fasting. You know, “What if someone is sick and they can’t fast?” What’s the answer? That they don’t fast, of course, and Islam prescribes something for them to do instead.

Just like “What if someone can’t afford to go on hajj?” Then it’s not obligatory on them.

Or, “What if a person doesn’t have any savings on which to pay zakat?” Then he doesn’t pay zakat.

How about, “What if a person is mute and cannot literally “say” the shahadah?” Do I even need to answer, now?

And about salaat. You know, if you walk into a mosque, especially for like a large prayer, like Friday prayers, you would notice immediately (with any decent sized gathering) that there are a number of people who are sitting in chairs during the prayer.

I’ve known women to sit during their prayers because they were pregnant, or they had bad knees, or they were very old and had difficulty standing from the floor. Just the average people who pray–how did they know they could do that? They just saw it, I guess.

I myself was praying Taraweeh (the night prayers in Ramadan) one night, towards the end of the month, and I felt like my legs were going to collapse so I just sat down on the floor right there.

One time the Prophet (saaws) saw a rope tied in the mosque where a woman would pray and he asked about it and was told that when the woman became very tired of her prayer she would hold on to the rope.

And you know what he said? He told them to untie it, and that if a person became tired like that then they should go to sleep.

Islam, I mean to say, is not meant to be a difficulty, in any situation. What if a person is starving and there is nothing to eat but pork? Well then that person should eat the pork!

I guess the answer to this question is so obvious that most people really wouldn’t think to ask it.

Sorry you didn’t find an answer. Maybe I will write one on my blog, then.

 

[Sam_777]

I have not seen these issues addressed on any Islamic web site and I have not been able to get a straight answer on any of these questions.

Welcome back Aydan,

Sorry to tell you, but Muhammed didn’t like disabled people, indeed Muhammed wanted strong men to fight not disabled people, that is why there are many verses in Quran about the reward of Jihad, and that is why there is no direct instructions for disabled people prayer, the current workaround is found by Muslim clerics not Muhammed.

You might ask what is my proof for that, its the Quran itself, in (Quran 80:1-2) Muhammed frowned and turned away from a disabled blind man.
And it seems after doing that he got criticized by his own tribe because that blind man was the cousin of his first wife “Kadija”, so he revealed that verse to calm his tribe.

Alkurtubi commentary:

تفسير القرطبي:
الآية عتاب من الله لنبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم في إعراضه وتوليه عن عبد الله بن أم مكتوم . ويقال : عمرو بن أم مكتوم , واسم أم مكتوم عاتكة بنت عامر بن مخزوم , وعمرو هذا : هو ابن قيس بن زائدة بن الأصم , وهو ابن خال خديجة رضي الله عنها
​

 

[Reuben_J]

Welcome back Aydan,

Sorry to tell you, but Muhammed didn’t like disabled people, indeed Muhammed wanted strong men to fight not disabled people, that is why there are many verses in Quran about the reward of Jihad, and that is why there is no direct instructions for disabled people prayer, the current workaround is found by Muslim clerics not Muhammed.

You might ask what is my proof for that, its the Quran itself, in (Quran 80:1-2) Muhammed frowned and turned away from a disabled blind man.
And it seems after doing that he got criticized by his own tribe because that blind man was the cousin of his first wife “Kadija”, so he revealed that verse to calm his tribe.

Alkurtubi commentary:

تفسير القرطبي:
الآية عتاب من الله لنبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم في إعراضه وتوليه عن عبد الله بن أم مكتوم . ويقال : عمرو بن أم مكتوم , واسم أم مكتوم عاتكة بنت عامر بن مخزوم , وعمرو هذا : هو ابن قيس بن زائدة بن الأصم , وهو ابن خال خديجة رضي الله عنها
​

The more information that I hear about Mohammad the more convince I am that he is not a prophet of God.

This is in stark contrast to Jesus - who had compassion for the lepers, the blind, the paralytics and the possessed.

 

[hamba2han]

Christians may not realise it but when they start quoting the Qur’an and the ahadith as “proof” of something, then it really is a sign of acceptance of the truth of Islam.

There is nothing wrong with this folks, Muslims too accept that the Bible contains profound truths.

The difference here is that Muslims know where to draw the line between truth and falsehood whereas Christians really do not have this capability… especially since they themselves have trouble believing significant portions of their own Bible.