Is it permissible for a person who is sitting in a wheelchair or on the ground to lead in prayer people who are not sitting, and does this ruling apply to his leading in prayer those who do not speak Arabic?

The jurists have recommended that if an Imam falls ill and is unable to stand, he should appoint someone else to lead the prayer. A distinction should be made between a temporary illness of the Imam from which recovery is hoped, and his being permanently incapacitated. If an Imam, who is the regular Imam, is afflicted with an illness from which recovery is hoped, it is permissible for him to lead those who are able to stand, and they must then sit, according to the preponderant opinion. However, appointing a permanently incapacitated person as a regular Imam, or allowing a permanently incapacitated person from whom recovery is not hoped to continue in the Imamate, is not permissible.

Jurists have differed on the issue of an Imam who is sitting leading those who are able to stand, with three opinions:

1. It is absolutely impermissible (Malikis). 2. It is impermissible except under two conditions: that he is the Imam of the locality, and that his ailment is hoped to be removed (Hanbalis). In this case, they must pray behind him sitting. If he began standing and then sat, they pray standing. 3. It is permissible for a sitting Imam to lead those who are unable to stand, and they pray behind him standing (Hanafis and Shafi'is). They held that this was the last of two actions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and it abrogates the command to sit.

The chosen opinion is to differentiate between the regular Imam who is afflicted with an illness from which recovery is hoped, and one whose ailment is not hoped to be removed or who is not a regular Imam. As for a sitting person leading a similar sitting person in prayer, it is permissible according to the majority of scholars.