Wael. Malik and al-Awza'i said: It is not permissible, due to what was narrated from Ibn Abbas, that when he became blind, a man came to him and said (7): "If you would have patience with me for seven days, during which you would only pray while lying on your back, I would treat your eye, and I hope it would heal." He sent word regarding this to 'Aisha, Abu Hurayra, and others among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and everyone (8) said to him: "If you die during these days, what will you do about the prayer?" So he abandoned the treatment of his eye. Our proof is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed sitting when his right flank (9) was injured, and the apparent situation is that he was not incapable (10) of standing, but there was hardship for him in it, or fear of harm. Whichever is assumed, it is evidence for the permissibility here. Also, we have permitted him to abandon wudu' if he cannot find water except at a price higher than its equivalent value, in order to preserve a portion of his wealth; and [we have permitted] abandoning fasting on account of illness or ophthalmia (ramad). The reports have also indicated the permissibility of abandoning standing for the sake of praying on a mount due to fear of the harm of mud to his clothes and body. It is permitted to abandon Jumu'ah and congregational prayer to protect oneself and one's clothes (11) from dampness and contamination with mud, and it is permitted to abandon standing in order to follow the Imam of the neighborhood if he prays sitting, and [to pray] on one's side or lying on one's back in a situation of fear of the enemy. The harm caused by the loss of sight is not less than the harm in these situations. As for the report of Ibn Abbas—if it is authentic—it is possible that the one reporting it was not speaking from certainty; rather, he said: "I hope." Or, it might be that his report was not accepted because he was a single narrator or of unknown status, unlike our issue.

Section: If he is incapable of bowing (ruku') and prostrating (sujud), he shall make gestures for both, just as he gestures for them in a state of fear. He should make the prostration lower than the bowing. If he is only incapable of prostration, he shall bow and make a gesture for the prostration. If he cannot bend his back, he should bend his neck. If his back is curved such that he is as if he were sitting, then whenever he wishes to bow, he should increase his bending slightly, and he should bring his face closer to the ground in prostration as much as he is able. If he is able to prostrate on his cheek, he should not do so, because it is not one of the parts of the body for prostration. If he places a pillow or something elevated in front of him, or prostrates on a mound or a stone, it is permissible if he is unable to tilt his face further than that. Ibn al-Mundhir narrated from Ahmad that he said: "I prefer prostrating on a pillow (12)." He said: "It is more beloved to me than gesturing." Ishaq said the same. Al-Shafi'i and the scholars of reasoning permitted it, and Ibn Abbas granted a concession for it. Umm Salama prostrated on a pillow. Ibn Mas'ud disliked prostrating on a piece of wood and said: "He should make a gesture." The reasoning for its permissibility is that he has performed what he is capable of regarding lowering himself, so it suffices him, just as if he had made a gesture. As for if he raises something to his face and prostrates upon it, some of our companions said: It does not suffice him. It was narrated from Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn 'Umar, Jabir, and Anas that they said: "He gestures and does not raise anything to his face." This is the opinion of 'Ata', Malik, and al-Thawri. Al-Athram narrated from Ahmad that he said: "Whichever of these he does, there is no harm; he may gesture or raise a pillow and prostrate on it." It was said to him: "And a fan?" He said: "No, as for a fan, no." It is also reported from Ahmad that he said: "Gesturing is more beloved to me. And if he raises something to his face and prostrates on it, it suffices him." This is the opinion of Abu Thawr. It is necessary that it be such that he is unable to lower himself further than that. The reasoning for this is that he has performed what he is capable of regarding the placement (13) of his head, so it suffices him, just as if he had made a gesture. The reasoning for the first [view] is that he prostrated on something he is carrying, so it does not suffice him, just as if he had prostrated on his hands.

Section: If he is unable to make a gesture with his head, he shall gesture with his eyes and have the intention in his heart; prayer does not fall away from him as long as his intellect remains intact. It was narrated from Abu Hanifa that the prayer falls away from him. The Qadi mentioned that this is the apparent meaning of Ahmad's words in the report of Muhammad ibn Yazid (14), due to what was narrated from Abu Sa'id.