Answered by Ustadha Noura Shamma, SunniPath Academy Teacher
I sprained my ankle and cant stand on it. When I prayed I sat down the whole time, and I didnt start the prayer while standing, to do my intention and takbeer. should i repeat the prayer?
Assalamualikum wa rahmatullahi wa baraktu,
I pray insh’Allah your ankle is healed and you and your family are enjoying good health and spirits.
In the Hadiyya Ala’iyya it says if someone is unable to stand for a real illness or out of fear of an illness increasing or severe pain than they can sit (on the floor) performing ruku’ (bowing) by bowing their head and do a full sujud. If they cannot make a proper sujud, then can sit and do the ruku’ and sujud by bowing their head slightly for ruku’ and a bit more for sujud.
The scholars have said the standing in prayer is a means to going into prostration (sujud). Therefore is someone cannot stand but can make sujud properly, then they should sit (on the ground) from the beginning. If someone cannot make sujud properly (with forehead and nose on the ground) even if their feet are to the side or in another position, then they should sit in any way they can and make ruku’ and sujud by bowing the head. The bowing for sujud should be deeper than for ruku, but one doesn’t place something on their lap to make sujud on; just inclining the head is sufficient. [ Maraqi al-Falah ]
And Allah knows best.
Noura Shamma
Approved by Faraz Rabbani