Answered by Shaykh Gibril F Haddad
I am disabled, and I cannot pray the way the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed… For the fajr prayer, waking up so early is not good for my health, because my condition depends on good sleep. Is there any way I can pray the early morning prayer when I wake up at the time I feel refreshed? In addition, if I am having a very bad day and feeling very sick, am I exempt from prayer?
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
[May Allah grant you strength and well-being.]
For the fajr prayer, you should pray it in its time if you feel strong enough, since getting good sleep in the daytime and early and middle nighttime – even at the expense of work – is preferable to getting good sleep in the early morning at the expense of the First Pillar of the Religion. Our Grand Shaykh Mawlana Shaykh `Abd Allah al-Daghestani defined “feeling strong enough” in such a situation as follows: if you are strong enough to get up and collect a gift to you of 100 gold coins (approx. US$10,000) from the next room then you are strong enough to get up and pray.
Further, do not forget that your condition also depends on the improvement of your spiritual health which itself hinges on the acceptance of your sickness as a God-given test through which He is helping you, to erase your sins and raise your levels. Why seek to defeat or circumvent your added reward and the Divine support?
Nevertheless, if lack of sleep or the effect of drugs leaves you nearly mentally or physically impaired at the time of fajr then at least perform tayammum and pray in bed, then make up that prayer when you feel strong enough. The same as the above applies to all your other prayers: they must all be performed without exemption or exception, if not in time then as soon as possible.
From Allah comes support and strength!
Hajj Gibril