Salah of the sick

A: First: you have to perform Salah according to your ability; pray standing, and if you cannot, then sitting down, and if you cannot, then lying on your side, and if you cannot, then lying on your back with your legs towards the Qiblah (direction of Salah). Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: So keep your duty to Allâh and fear Him as much as you can The Prophet (peace be upon him), when asked by a sick person on the same issue, replied, “Perform Salah standing, and if you cannot, then sitting, and if you cannot, then lying on your side.” However, if you perform Salah lying on your side, you should do so on your right side with your face towards the Qiblah (direction faced for Prayer towards the Ka‘bah). (Part No. 6; Page No. 379) Second: As for the month during which you did not perform Salah, if that was done due to unconsciousness, you need do nothing. If it was done due to ignorance or sickness, you have to make up for the Salah you missed at any time as soon as possible.Third: You have to perform Wudu’ (ablution) using water if you can, even if it is with the help of one of your children, any of your Mahrams (non-marriageable male relatives), or other women. Moreover, you also have to perform Istinja’ (cleansing the private parts with water after urination or defecation) or Istijmar (cleansing the private parts with a hard material after urination or defecation) three or more times using stones or tissue paper. This will suffice instead of water if it cleanses you. If you cannot perform Wudu’, you have to perform Tayammum (dry ablution with clean earth). This is done by hitting your hands against earth and then wiping your face and palms with them. You should ask those around you to put some earth near your bed, so you can use it when you need to. You can also combine the Zhuhr (Noon) and ‘Asr (Afternoon) Prayers at the time of either the earlier or the later one and combine Maghrib (Sunset) and ‘Isha’ (Night) Prayers at the time of either the earlier or the later one as other ill people do.Fourth: You have to make up for the days of Ramadan that you missed if you can do so and you should also feed a needy person for each day of Ramadan of the years preceding 1412 A.H. That you delayed making up for, if you can do so. However, if you cannot feed any needy people due to being too poor to do so, it will be sufficient for you to make up for the days of Sawm that you missed; all praise be to Allah. If you cannot perform Sawm due to being old, you will have to feed a needy person for every missed day by giving them (Part No. 6; Page No. 380) half a Sa‘ (1 Sa‘ = 2.172 kg) of wheat, rice, or any other local staple food. It is also sufficient to give it all to one poor person. If you are unable to feed anyone, you will be exempted based on the evidence we quoted above. However, you should perform Sawm in the future and if you cannot do so due to old age, you must feed a needy person for each missed day. It is also sufficient to give that food to one person or more, whether at the beginning, at the middle, or at the end of the month.We ask Allah to help you and us and give us success.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.