Answered by Shaykh Abu Usamah
I would like to ask about certain exigencies when travelling which prevent one from standing, or at least makes it very difficult, when offering prayer. Let me give you two examples from my own experience.
a) when on a train, the motion was so violent that I could not keep still in qiyam, but had to move about considerably to keep my balance in what would obviously be seen to be consecutive movements. Should one still stand or sit in this circumstance?
RULES RELATING TO SALAH ON AN AIRCRAFT, TRAIN, SHIP, etc.
1. Fard Salah has to be offered in a standing posture in a moving ship, train or aircraft.
2. If a person feels dizzy by offering salah standing or fears that he will fall then he is allowed to sit and offer salah.
The above is stated in my booklet. In your case it seems that you will also be allowed to offer the salah sitting since you cannot maintain your balance except by moving about.
[Sidi Faraz answered: (A) If you cannot reasonably stand while praying, you may pray sitting down. Note, however, that when the scholars say, “sitting down,” it means sitting such that you do ruku and prostate your head on the actual ground. It does not refer to praying on your seat.]
b) On 747’s there is often room to pray where one does not obstruct a passageway in the aircrew galleys (in my experience crews are happy to let you pray if asked); but in smaller jets that have no area (including the galleys) that is not in use and only one passageway which is in use by other passengers, ought one therefore keep the prayer in time, and pray in the seat?
The prayer must be offered in its time and should be quickly offered in a standing position in the passageway. The fard only 2 or 3 rak`ahs will take only a few minutes.
[Sidi Faraz answered: (B) On smaller jets, you can reasonably assume, especially on the short-journey flights that such planes are normally used on, that you would not be allowed to pray in the isle. The plane is not your property; you cannot do something its owners (or those acting on their behalf) would absolutely not allow you do do. If such a case happens, as it did when Shaykh Iyad al-Ghowj and I flew to Istanbul last year, if you feared the (recommended) time is going, and you are actually unable (not just shy) to pray in the isle, then you could pray sitting. However, one should repeat such a prayer later.]
Abu Usamah