Question

Assalamu alaykum ww

This Ramadan, we have invited a Sheikh from Egypt to lead the Taraweeh prayer. He has informed us that he has recently experienced leg problems, and his doctor has advised him not to do sajdah on the ground.
So he can do qiyaam and ruku, but for the rest of the salah, he sits in a chair.

The first question is:
1. Is it permitted for him to lead Taraweeh salah on a chair.

2. Can he lead Isha and Witr salah on a chair?

Answer

If an individual is not going to be performing rukuʿ and sujud properly, and will be indicating instead of performing a proper sujud then it will not be permissible for that individual to lead others who are able to perform these postures properly. This would apply to tarawih as well as ʿisha and witr prayers.

If the imam is able to sit on the floor and perform salat and then perform rukuʿ by bowing slightly and sujud properly by placing his forehead on the ground then it will be permissible for him to lead the prayer even though he is sitting, as he will be considered to have performed the rukuʿ and sujud correctly.

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (1/ 579)

(و) لا (قادر على ركوع وسجود بعاجز عنهما) لبناء القوي على الضعيف

(قوله بعاجز عنهما) أي بمن يومئ بهما قائما أو قاعدا، بخلاف ما لو أمكناه قاعدا فصحيح كما سيأتي. قال ط: والعبرة للعجز عن السجود، حتى لو عجز عنه وقدر على الركوع أومأ

Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel