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What is the ruling regarding the prayer of an illiterate mother who knows only Al-Fatiha and is unable to learn the pillars of prayer due to her old age and difficulty in speaking, and what is required of her concerning her belief in accountability after death?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

An illiterate person must learn the adhkar (remembrances) of prayer and its كيفية (manner). What they are unable to learn among these is waived for them. Al-Fatiha is a pillar (of prayer), and reciting a Surah after it is a Sunnah. The obligatory tasbih (glorification) in prostration is "Subhana Rabbi al-A'la" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) once. It is obligatory to teach and help her. Denying the Resurrection is an act of disbelief that expels one from the fold of Islam by consensus, due to the evidence from the Quran and Sunnah. It is obligatory to enlighten her about the reward of the obedient and the punishment of the disobedient, and about Allah's justice and wisdom in recompense.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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