Sitting and performing Qadhaa Salaah

Question:-

I would like to enquire with regard to sitting and performing Qadha Salaah, as there are years of missed Salaah piled on me. I suffer with chronic feet pain, hence my reason for asking. I dislike taking pain killers but do so out of absolute necessity. If I can manage, I perform my Salaah whilst standing and perform Sajdah on the ground etc. But sadly, come Esha time, and with other motherly duties, the pain is at its worst and I’m left to reading on the ground or on the chair. Please advise if it’s okay to perform just the Qadha Salaah whilst sitting, so as not to put so much pressure onto my feet, as I try to cover up three days Qadhaa in a day?

Answer:-

It is really pleasing to note that you are trying your level best to cover up all your missed Salaah. Importance should be afforded to one’s Qadhaa Salaah as it is a debt upon a person that needs to be discharged.

However, you should not over-exert yourself; you should rather carry out whatever is within your ability. Some of the Mashaaikh advise that one should perform one Salaah with every current Salaah so, in this instance you will be performing 6 Qadhaa Salaah for the day (which includes the Witr Salaah). This is a moderate approach which might not be too difficult for you.

Now coming to the aspect of performing Salaah whilst sitting, the standing posture of Salaah is obligatory, therefore one is required to perform all his/her Salaah whilst standing, except Nafl Salaah, where one has a choice of either standing or sitting (and performing Salaah). Yes, if one is unable to stand and perform the Fardh Salaah due to excessive pain or unbearable pain, then one will be excused from standing, in which case one may sit on the ground and perform Salaah. However, it will not be acceptable to perform the Fardh Salaah (which includes Qadhaa Salaah) whilst sitting from the very beginning without a valid reason. We hope that the above clarifies the matter.

لا بد لصحة الصلاة من سبعة وعشرين شيئا—والقيام في غير النفل (ثمرة النجاح  ص212)

ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai

Date: 25 Muharram 1444 / 24 August 2022