Short answer
Yes, if you have a real need. In the Hanafi school you must stand for fard prayers if you can. If you cannot stand, or cannot do ruku and sujud on the floor, you may pray sitting, on the floor if you can and on a chair if you cannot, bowing your head lower for sujud than for ruku. Nafl may be prayed sitting even without a need.
Standing (qiyam) is fard in fard and wajib prayers for one who is able. If you cannot stand, or you can stand but cannot prostrate on the ground, standing is waived and you pray sitting, making ruku and sujud by gestures with the sujud lower. Sitting on the floor is better than a chair where possible.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- If you can stand you must stand, even if you cannot bow or prostrate; you then bow and prostrate as far as you can.
- Maliki
- Standing is required if you are able; inability to prostrate does not by itself waive it.
- Hanbali
- Standing is required if you are able, and ruku and sujud are done as far as possible.
Explanation
Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity, and the Prophet ﷺ told a sick Companion: pray standing; if you cannot, then sitting; if you cannot, then on your side. Here is how the Hanafi school applies this:
- You can stand and prostrate: pray normally. A chair is not allowed for fard just because it is more comfortable.
- You can stand only for a while: stand for as much as you can, even only for the opening takbir, then sit.
- You cannot prostrate on the floor: standing is no longer required, and it is better to pray sitting. Bow your head a little for ruku and lower for sujud.
- You can sit on the floor: that is better than a chair. Use a chair when sitting on the floor causes real pain or you cannot get up.
- You cannot sit: pray lying down, facing the qibla, moving your head.
- Do not hold a table or cushion up to your forehead to prostrate on. Make the gesture instead.
- In congregation, place the chair at the end of a row so you do not block others, and line up with the row.
- Nafl and sunnah may be prayed sitting even if you can stand, with half the reward. Witr is wajib, so it follows the fard rule.
Illness can also affect wudu and fasting; see the wudu guide. If you are unsure whether your condition counts as real hardship, ask a scholar together with your doctor.
The evidence
Quran, Surah At-Taghaabun 64:16
فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا ٱسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَٱسْمَعُوا۟ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ وَأَنفِقُوا۟ خَيْرًۭا لِّأَنفُسِكُمْ ۗ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿١٦﴾
So fear Allah as much as you are able and listen and obey and spend [in the way of Allah]; it is better for your selves. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the successful.
Worship is done within one's ability.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:286
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًۭا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ﴿٢٨٦﴾
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people."
No one is asked to do what they cannot.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1117
Sahih... صل قائما فإن لم تستطع فقاعدا فإن لم تستطع فعلى جنب ...
"Pray standing; if you cannot, then sitting; and if you cannot, then on your side."
The order of ways to pray for someone who is ill.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1115
Sahih... ومن صلى قاعدا فله نصف أجر القائم ...
"And whoever prays sitting gets half the reward of one who stands."
Voluntary prayer may be prayed sitting, with less reward.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Salah, chapter on the prayer of the sick. If he cannot prostrate, standing is not required and he prays sitting, making the sujud lower than the ruku.
- Nur al-Idah with Maraqi al-Falah, Chapter on the prayer of the sick. Standing for part of the prayer when able, and praying on the side when sitting is impossible.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.