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153—If standing would aggravate his illness, he should pray seated; if he is unable to do so, then on his side. This is based on the Prophet’s words—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—to ʿImrān ibn Husayn: “Pray standing; if you are unable, then seated; and if you are unable, then on your side.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī1.
154—If performing each prayer at its prescribed time causes him hardship, he may combine the noon and afternoon prayers, and the sunset and night prayers, at the time of either prayer.
(1) Narrated by al-Bukhārī (2/587). The shaykh explained in *al-Mukhtārāt al-Jaliyya*, p. 46, that no report concerning the prayer of a sick person is authentically established from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, except this hadith. Praying by gesturing with the eyes or solely in the heart is not authentically established. The implication of this hadith is that praying on one’s side while gesturing is the final obligatory mode. This was also the view preferred by Shaykh al-Islām. The shaykh stated in *Nūr al-Basāʾir*, p. 19, that if a person cannot pray on his side, he should pray lying on his back and gesture for bowing and prostration. If he cannot do that, he should pray by gesturing with his eyes; and if he cannot do that, then in his heart.
١٥٣- وَإِذَا كَانَ اَلْقِيَامُ يُزِيدُ مَرَضَهُ، صَلَّى جَالِسًا، فَإِنْ لَمْ يُطِقْ، فَعَلَى جنبٍ؛
لِقَوْلِ اَلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ لِعِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ: "صلِّ قائمًا، فإن لهم تَسْتَطِعْ فَقَاعِدًا، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَى جَنْبٍ" رواه البخاري١.
١٥٤- وإن شقَّ عليه فعل كل من صلاةٍ في وقتها، فله الجمع بين الظهر والعصر، وبين العشاءين، في وقت إحداهما.
١ رواه البخاري "٥٨٧/٢" وقد بَيَّن الشيخ في "المختارات الجلية، ص: ٤٦ ": أنه لم يثبت عن النبي ﷺ في صلاة المريض إلا هذا الحديث، وأما صلاته بطرفه أو بقلبه فإنه لم يثبت، ومفهوم هذا الحديث يدل على أن الصلاة على جنبه مع الإيماء آخر المراتب الواجبة، وهذا اختيار شيخ الإسلام، وقد قرر الشيخ في كتابه "نور البصائر، ص: ١٩": أنه إن لم يستطع على جنبه صَلَّى مستلقيًا، ويومي بالركوع والسجود، فإن لم يستطع صلى بطرفه، فإن لم يستطع فبقلبه.