Salah for someone suffering from a disability or insanity

(Part No. 6; Page No. 376) Fatwa no. 18397 I am the Director of the Social-Care Home in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, affiliated with the Department of Social Affairs - Ministry of Labor. This institution is dedicated to receiving and caring for elderly people who have none to care for them. The institution, both the male and female sections, accommodates about 150 aged people. Some issues relating to them are ambiguous to us, and thus we hope that Your Eminence may answer our questions regarding them, as we are considered to be responsible for them, given their special circumstances.Please tell us how such people should perform Salah (Prayer) bearing in mind that some of them have psychological disorders, some are not in their full mental capacity because of their old age, and some are sick and cannot move.

After the Committee studied the question, it answered as follows:Those among the old people referred to above who are in their full mental capacity have to offer Salah in any way as may be possible for them. They should perform it while standing or, if they are unable to stand, while sitting; or if they are unable to sit, while lying on either side; or if they are unable to lie on their side, while lying on their back. To perform Ruku` (bowing) and Sujud (prostration), they should bow their head downwards, intending the action. This is based on the Hadith authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) on the authority of `Imran ibn Al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him and his father).May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.