his side, the right side being preferable. It is also valid for him to pray lying on his back, though this is disliked when he has the ability to pray on his side; if he cannot, then praying on the back becomes obligatory. His feet should face the qiblah, and he gestures for bowing and prostration, lowering the prostration gesture more than the bowing. If even that is impossible, he indicates them with his eyes.
Whoever loses—or regains—ability in the middle of the prayer moves to the other posture (1). One who can stand and sit but cannot bow or prostrate should gesture for bowing while standing and for prostration while sitting.
A patient who is able to stand may nonetheless pray lying flat for medical treatment on the advice of a trustworthy Muslim physician. On that same physician’s word he may also break the fast if fasting would worsen the illness.
The prayer is valid aboard a ship provided he fulfills its necessary conditions, and he may pray seated if he is unable to disembark and stand. It is likewise valid on a riding animal when one fears harm from mud or the like—not because of sickness—so long as he is able to dismount and remount (2). Supererogatory prayers are valid in all such situations without restriction.
Section
[The Traveler’s Prayer]
Whoever undertakes a lawful journey of two days or more may shorten the four-cycle prayer to two units once he has left the inhabited area (3) of his village, and shortening is better than completing it.
If, however (4), he passes through his hometown, or a town in which he has a wife (5); or the time of a prayer enters while he is resident, or he settles there (6); or he recalls a resident prayer while traveling or the reverse; or he follows an imam who is resident, or one who—