What is the ruling concerning the prayers of my wife who used to pray sitting – despite her ability to stand sometimes – due to her ignorance of the ruling and to alleviate pain, and is she obligated to repeat those prayers?

Firstly: A Muslim must pray according to their ability: standing, if unable then sitting, if unable then lying on their side, based on the verse: (So fear Allah as much as you are able).

Secondly: If, during prayer, a sick person becomes able to perform what they were previously unable to, they should transition to that position and continue their prayer. It is permissible to pray sitting if standing would exacerbate the illness, but praying sitting is not valid if one is able to stand.

Thirdly: Ignorance is not an excuse for someone who has the ability to learn the obligations of the religion. Whoever falls short in this regard is sinful.

Fourthly: If a legally responsible person is excused by their ignorance and omits a condition or pillar of prayer, they are not required to make up prayers whose time has passed. However, they must make up the prayer during whose time they gained knowledge, before its time expires.

Regarding your wife:

1. There is no sin or need for her to make up prayers if she prayed sitting due to the fatigue of pregnancy and the hardship of standing. 2. She bears sin for praying sitting if she was able to stand without hardship. This sin is removed if she was ignorant of the ruling, or thought it was permissible, or feared increased pain. 3. She is not required to make up these missed prayers, but she should seek forgiveness and perform many supererogatory acts of worship.