but only that he is credited with the deeds he used to perform while healthy and not travelling, just as he is credited with the reward of congregational prayer when he misses it despite intending to attend.

Moreover, not everyone with a valid excuse is credited with the equivalent of a healthy person’s deeds. This is granted only when he intends to perform those deeds but is unable to do so. Thus, the hadith indicates that someone who habitually prayed in congregation and prayed standing, but then ceased doing so because of illness, is credited with what he used to do while healthy and not travelling. Likewise, someone who offers voluntary prayers on his mount while travelling, having previously offered them standing when not travelling, is credited with what he used to do when not travelling. However, someone who was not accustomed to praying in congregation or standing, and who then falls ill and prays alone or seated, is not credited with the equivalent of the prayer of a healthy person who is not travelling. Anyone who applies the hadith to someone without a valid excuse must consequently regard his prayer while seated as equivalent to prayer while standing, and his prayer alone as equivalent to prayer in congregation. This is a false position, supported by neither a scriptural text nor analogical reasoning, and no one has maintained it.

Furthermore, it may be said:

The Prophet’s declaring prayer in congregation superior to prayer alone, prayer while standing superior to prayer while seated, and prayer while seated superior to prayer while lying down—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—indicates only the superiority of one prayer over the other where both prayers are valid.