consideration. What the author mentioned is the authoritative position in the school (1).

The second view is that he may not pray sitting; rather, he must pray standing in all cases, bowing and prostrating (2), because Allah the Exalted says:

“Stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.” [al-Baqarah 2:238]

Thus, Allah the Exalted has made standing obligatory, whereas the requirement of covering oneself is waived in this case, due to His saying:

“Allah does not charge a soul except with that within its capacity.” [al-Baqarah 2:286]

Accordingly, since standing is obligatory on the basis of the evidence cited, and covering oneself is likewise obligatory on the basis of its own evidence, he must stand because the basis for standing is present, and pray naked because the obligation to cover himself is waived due to his inability.

Some scholars have said that the matter requires further detail: if someone is near him, he should pray sitting; but if no one is near him, or if he is in darkness, or if the person near him cannot see, or is someone before whom he would not be ashamed for his nakedness to be exposed, such as his wife, then he should pray standing and bow and prostrate, because he has no excuse (359).

This view is nearer to what is correct, because it combines the right of Allah and the right of the individual. Allah’s right, when no one is present to see him, is that he pray standing, since he is able to do so. The individual’s right, when someone is near him, is that he pray sitting, because he would be ashamed to stand, and it would be psychologically difficult for him.

Their Imam Should Stand Among Them

His statement, “Their imam should stand among them,” means that the imam of the naked worshippers should be in their midst—that is, he should not stand ahead of them, because this better conceals him. Thus, if there are ten people, all naked, and they are accosted by highway robbers who take their clothes, and the time for prayer comes, they should pray in congregation in a single row,