has to do with the patient and in everything the patient refrains from doing. Moreover, if the illness is known to have a specific remedy, you ought to remind him of that remedy, for taking medicine is permissible—in fact it is recommended (sunnah) when benefit is expected and predominates. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Seek treatment, but do not seek treatment with what is unlawful.”

You should also ask him how he is performing the prayer, because many sick people do not know whether they should use water or resort to tayammum (dry ablution), or whether they should pray each prayer in its appointed time or combine them. This is an important matter that can be hidden from some patients. Indeed, some think that if combining (jamʿ) is allowed, then shortening (qasr) is automatically allowed as well, even though they are still in their home town. This needs to be clarified.

Yes, if the patient has traveled to a hospital outside his own city, he may both shorten and combine his prayers. If he is being treated within his own city, he does not shorten; yet if praying every prayer at its specific time proves difficult, he may combine them even while at home. In that case, however, the prayers are combined without shortening, for combining and shortening are not inseparable. Sometimes shortening is prescribed without combining, sometimes combining without shortening, and sometimes both together.

• A traveler who is on the move and finds it difficult to pray every prayer at its appointed time is prescribed both combining and shortening.
• A traveler who is staying in one place is prescribed shortening without combining, though if he does combine there is no harm.
• A resident who finds it hard to pray each prayer in its own time is prescribed combining without shortening.

The third right is to follow and escort the funeral procession, for part of a Muslim’s due