The Islamic Education Department of The WF of KSIMC, is honoured to present the Abridged Version of the “Compendium of Islamic Rulings: Prayers for Individuals with Special Conditions,” following feedback from muʾminīn, requesting a shorter version.
The Abridged Version features more images for clarity, and explains the sequence of order to be followed, based on the acts of prayer, followed by some frequently asked questions.
Furthermore, as was clarified earlier this year, after seeking further clarification from the Office of His Eminence Ayatollah al-ʿUdhmā al-Sayyid Ali Sistani (May Allah SWT prolong his age), would like to clarify the sequence of rukūʿ for people with special conditions.
The obligatory requirement for rukūʿ is for a person praying in the normal standing position to bend while standing, to the extent that they can place all their fingertips, including their thumbs, on their knees.
If bending this much is not possible (independently), then one should try to perform this customary rukūʿ by seeking support, such as by leaning on a wall, using a cane/walker, seeking assistance from someone, etc.
If this is not possible, then they should bend as much as possible, as long as it is considered rukūʿ by customary standards, even with the aforementioned support, if necessary.
However, if even this lesser extent of bending is not possible, then the person should nod while standing, as a gestural indication for rukūʿ (īmāʾ, i.e. by lowering their head slightly). Then they should raise their head again for the qiyām after rukūʿ.
If they are unable to nod, they should indicate rukūʿ by closing their eyes with the intention of performing rukūʿ, and say the dhikr. Then they should open their eyes with the intention of rising from rukūʿ.
If they are unable to indicate rukūʿ by closing their eyes, then they must make an intention in their heart of performing rukūʿ, and based on obligatory precaution, they must also make an indication for rukūʿ with their hand and say the dhikr. However, in this case, if they are able to indicate rukūʿ by nodding their head while sitting, then based on obligatory precaution, they must also perform a second prayer, in which they indicate rukūʿ by nodding their head, while sitting.
If they are unable to stand and indicate rukūʿ, but are able to bend for rukūʿ while sitting, whether on a chair or the ground, they should do so.
If they are unable to bend for rukūʿ while sitting, then they should nod their head while sitting, as a gestural indication for rukūʿ (īmāʾ).
If they are unable to indicate rukūʿ by nodding their head, then they should follow the aforementioned sequence, i.e., by indicating rukūʿ by closing their eyes, if possible, otherwise, by making an intention of rukūʿ in their heart and indicating it with their hand, and saying the dhikr.
It goes without mentioning, that reciting dhikr is obligatory in all these scenarios.
If any of the muʾminīn have not followed this sequence in their prayers – even if it may be due to misinformation or inculpable ignorance (jahl quṣūrī, i.e., being unaware of the correct guidelines, despite being willing to learn) – e.g., if they wrongly prayed by bending for rukūʿ while sitting, even though they were able to stand and nod their head as a gestural indication for rukūʿ, they must repeat those prayers (qaḍāʾ).
This change is reflected in the Abridged Version of the “Compendium of Islamic Rulings: Prayers for Individuals with Special Conditions,” and will also feature in the Extended Version of the Compendium, which will be rereleased.
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The Islamic Education Department would like to apologise for any inconvenience or confusion this may have caused.
For ease of reference, please refer to the simplified and Abridged Version of the aforementioned compendium.
