Al-Shawkani remarks (2/284): “This hadith proves the permissibility of leaning during the prayer on a pillar, a staff, or the like, but only when the excuse mentioned—advanced age or corpulence—is present. The same ruling applies to weakness, illness, and similar conditions. A number of scholars state that whoever needs, while standing, to rest on a staff or a crutch, to brace himself against a wall, or to incline to one side because of pain, may do so. Some Shafiʿi jurists even considered it mandatory, holding that sitting is not allowed if standing with support remains possible.” Among those who expressly allowed leaning in the prayer is Imam Malik. He said: “If he wishes, he may lean, and if he wishes, he may not. He did not regard leaning as disliked, saying: this depends on whatever makes the worshipper more comfortable; let him choose what is easier for him.” Al-Mudawwana (1/74). It appears that Malik was speaking of voluntary (nafila) prayers, even when no necessity exists. Qadi ʿIyad states, as reported in al-Majmuʿ (3/264–265): “Leaning on staffs is unanimously permitted in supererogatory prayers, except for a report from Ibn Sirin who disliked it. In obligatory prayers, however, Malik and the majority forbade it and said: Whoever leans on a staff, wall, or the like in such a way that he would fall if it were removed, [his prayer is invalid] …” Al-Bayhaqi transmits from al-Hajjaj, from ʿAtaʾ, that “the Companions of the Messenger of Allah used to lean on staffs during the prayer.” This al-Hajjaj is Ibn Artaʾah; he was a mudallis, and the report is given with the ʿan-an (unlinked) mode of transmission, so it is weak. (*) Correction noted from al-Majmuʿ.