Which is better and more obligatory for one who suffers from excruciating pain that prevents him from standing in prayer and faces extreme difficulty in going to the mosque: should he pray at home standing, or go to the mosque and pray sitting, or endure the pain and lose his devotion?

Illness is an excuse that permits absence from congregational prayers (jama'ah) and Friday prayers (Jumu'ah). If there is a conflict between praying in the mosque while sitting and praying at home while standing, performing the prayer at home while standing is better; in fact, it might even become obligatory. This is because standing is a pillar (rukn) in obligatory prayers. Thus, preserving a virtue related to the essence of the worship itself takes precedence over preserving a virtue related to the place of worship. The sick person will be rewarded with the reward of congregational prayer if he was keen on attending it.