Is my mother, who is unable to perform the prayer with ablution, bowing, prostration, and recitation, obligated to pray, or is it waived for her?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Prayer is not waived for the elderly as long as their intellect is present. They should pray according to their ability: standing, sitting, on their side, or lying down, indicating with gestures. If they are unable to gesture, they should perform the actions with their hearts. However, if intellect is lost due to dementia and the woman reaches a state where she does not comprehend what she is saying, then the pen is lifted from her. Her family must assist her with purification and prayer at its appointed time, and they will be rewarded for that.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/60502
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 60502
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy