SALAAH ON CHAIR

Compilation
Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Shahnawaz Sahib
Ustadh Jamiyah Qadriyah Ashrafiyah - Mumbai 8.

Spiritual Supervision
Shahzada-e-Shaheed-e-Rah-e-Madinah
Hazrat Maulana Alhajj Ashshah
Sayyid Moinuddin Ashraf Ashrafi Jilani
Sajjadah Nasheen Astana-e-Aaliah
Kichhauchhah Shareef

Publisher
Riyazul Huda

C/O Hotel Sweet Home; Mumbai Central.

 Dedicated to
Shaheed-e-Rah-e-Madinah
Hazrat Maulana
SAYYID ANWAAR ASHRAF
Ashrafi Jilani
Also Known As

MUSANNA MIYAN
Alaihir Rahmatu War Rizwan

Under whose patronage I received my religious

education and training, and with whose spiritual
grace this book was completed.
May Allah illuminate his grave with Anwaar
and bless him generously with heavenly favours.
Aamin.
 Salaah On Chair

FOREWORD
Nowadays, the use of chairs in mosques for Salaah has
become very common. People have been using chairs to
offer Salaah for the last few years without any reason or
excuse. This is not limited to our city or country, but it
has become an epidemic from which no part of the
world is spared. Even the mosques of the Haramain
Sharifain have come under its influence.

Offering Salaah while sitting on a chair was unthinkable

a few years back, people with disabilities used to sit in
rows on the ground and offer their Salaah. Today, even
a person with a minor problem has started performing
the Salaah on the chair.

We do not deny that there are genuinely disabled people

who neither can bend down nor sit on the ground due to
pain in their knees or back. These people use chairs
under extreme compulsion, and their excuse is
reasonable and acceptable in Shariah.

So, on the one hand, there are people, ignorant and

careless about Shariah, who have started using chairs for
Salaah due to their lack of knowledge and laziness. On
the other hand, many people have the fear of Allah in

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Salaah On Chair

their hearts, but they use chairs under compulsion due to

health reasons.

Since this is relatively a modern issue, the Muslim

masses are confused about the rules of offering Salaah
while sitting on a chair and everyone seems to be
praying according to his wish.

In such a situation, Pir-e-Tariqat Hazrat Maulana Sayyid

Shah Moinuddin Ashraf Ashrafi Jilani Sahib Qiblah felt
that there is a need for proper guidance of Muslims in
this regard. Hazrat Moin-e-Millat decided that the rules
prescribed by Shariah for offering Salaah on the chair
must be compiled and published with the necessary
explanations in both Urdu and English. Thereafter a
video should be made on this subject to demonstrate
these rules. So that those people who use chairs for
Salaah without a legitimate excuse should refrain from
doing so and disabled people can offer their Salaah
according to the Shariah.

Hazrat Moin Miyan Qiblah entrusted me with the

responsibility to compile this book. For its translation
and making video, Hazrat chose the members of
Riyazul-Huda, who have been doing this work under his
patronage for quite some time.

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 Salaah On Chair

In the book under review, the issues have been taken

from Bahar-e-Shariat, Fatawa-e-Razviah and other
authentic books on Hanafi Fiqh. Issues have been
explained as and where required. Efforts are made to
keep this book free from all kinds of errors. Still, if any
mistake is noticed, the readers are requested to kindly
point it out so that the same can be rectified in the future.

We pray that Allah may accept this effort of Hazrat

Moin-e-Millat on behalf of His Beloved Prophet ຽ. We
also pray that He may bless Hazrat Moin Miyan and all
who have participated in publishing this book in this
world and Hereafter. Aamin.

Muhammad Shahnawaz Shaikh.

Ustadh Jamiyah Qadriyah Ashrafiyah. Mumbai
Dated: 12th Rabiul Awwal, 1444 H (19th October 2022)

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Salaah On Chair

INTRODUCTION
ȔȥǠȎȑȻȜȑȠǥ§Ȼʄü ǽȻȔȒǦșȻ¾ȻʄǮșȻ¾ȻËǜȖƒ
ǜǾǃȻǀȕȻ
Æ È ȦǑÆ ǠÄÇ ȑȻ ÆȘǶü È ȦǪÄÇ ȑȻȘÄ ȕÆ Ȼƣ
Ȕ Æ ǀÆǃ¦Å ȠǽÅ Ä ǀÄȅ
È
ɵ

ǀ Á ljȠÈ ȉÅ ȠÈ ȕÄÇ ȻǀÁDŽøüNJȍÆ ȻŹ ÆÆ Æ

Ä È ȚȕƸÈ ÅƋÈ Ȼ ÄʄÄǽȻLjÈ Ä șǀÄʅȻ ğȠüȒǮȑÄÇ Ȼ¼ÄÇ 
Ȼ Ȼ(Surah Nisaa: Aayat 103)
[Indeed, the Salaah is obligatory on believers
at a fixed time.]

This Aayat of the Holy Quran indicates that the Salaah

is obligatory for Muslims. Whoever denies its obligation
is a disbeliever. It is the most important duty of every
Muslim to establish Salaah after the assertion of the faith
(Shahadah).

The importance and benefits of Salaah have been

mentioned in many places in the Holy Quran and the
Holy Prophet ຽ has described the advantages of Salaah
in numerous Ahadith. But these benefits will only be
obtained if the Salaah is offered as per the laid down
rules. If we do not follow all of them while offering our
Salaah, then our Salaah cannot match the manner
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 Salaah On Chair

prescribed by the Holy Prophet ຽ and it can become a

liability for us.

Since the chair was not used to offer Salaah until a few
years ago, the rules prescribed by Fiqh in this regard are
not available in the common books. That is why many
people are seen praying on the chair in their own way.

As directed by Hazart Moin Miyan, the orders related to

the Salaah of disabled persons have been collected from
the authentic books of Ahl-e-Sunnah Wal-Jamaࡐah and
are explained in this book. Special care has been taken
to keep the language simple and to arrange these issues
in such a way that the reader can easily understand them.

Those who use a chair for Salaah are requested to read

this book carefully and make corrections as needed. And
those who are not using chairs to offer Salaah are
requested to pass on this information to others and get
blessed by Allah.

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Salaah On Chair

WHO CAN USE A CHAIR FOR SALAAH?

To understand this issue, keep in mind that the Qiyam is

Farz in Farz, Witr, Eidain and Sunnah of Fajr Salaah. If
any of these Salaah is offered seated without a valid
excuse, which is acceptable in Shariah, then that Salaah
is invalid. Shariah does give some facilities for disabled
persons, but these are subject to conditions. So now you
should know which excuses are acceptable in Shariah as
a valid reason for the use of a chair for the Salaah and
what are the excuses that are not acceptable in Shariah
for use of a chair to offer the Salaah.

1. In the first category are those who can stand in the

entire Salaah and can offer Sajdah in the Masnoon way,
these gentlemen have no excuse under Shariah.

If such people offer any of the Salaah mentioned earlier

while sitting on the ground or a chair, their Salaah would
be invalid and needs to be repeated. So those persons
who due to exhaustion, bearable pain or a minor illness
or lack of knowledge and negligence, offer these Salaah
on chairs, must understand that their Salaah will not be
valid, and its repetition is a must. The Salaah other than
these can be offered being seated on the ground, but the
reward is reduced to half. It must also be kept in mind
that the one who offers Salaah being seated on the
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 Salaah On Chair

ground, it is Farz on him to offer Sajdah in the way that

his forehead touches the ground, otherwise Salaah will
be invalid.

2. The second category is those who can offer Sajdah in

the Masnoon way, but they cannot stand in Qiyam for
full time, however, they can stand only for a short while.

It is Farz for them to stay in Qiyam as long as they can,

even if it is by taking support of a stick or a wall. Even
if they can stand only for Takbeer-e-Tahreemah, they
must pronounce Takbeer-e-Tahreemah while standing
and then complete the Salaah while sitting. If such a
person does not do Qiyam as far as he can and offers the
full Salaah being seated, then his Salaah will be invalid.
Even in such a case, the use of a chair is not permitted.

3. The third category is those who are not able to stay in

Qiyam at all but can offer Sajdah by sitting on the
ground in the Masnoon way.

They must offer Salaah being seated on the ground. If

one of them cannot bend down enough to rest his
forehead on the ground but he can bend to the extent that
if a board twelve fingers (nine inches) high is placed in
front of him, he can rest his forehead on it, so he must
offer Sajdah on such a board. Such persons are not
permitted to offer Sajdah with gestures.
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Salaah On Chair

The Qiyam, Ruku and Sujood are among the Faraaiz of

the Salaah. Since these people cannot do Qiyam at all,
so the Qiyam is not Farz on them. However, to offer
Ruku and Sujood while sitting on the ground is still
Farz. If these people offered Salaah sitting on a chair and
offered Ruku and Sujood with gestures, then they
abandoned these two Faraaiz, and as a result, their
Salaah gets invalidated. So even in such a case, the use
of a chair is not permissible.

4. The fourth category is those who can stand but are not
able to offer Ruku and Sujood or only Sujood in the
Masnoon way.

They may offer Salaah standing or sitting as per their

convenience and should offer Ruku and Sujood with
gestures. In such a situation, it is better to offer Salaah
being seated rather than in a standing position, as a
person who cannot offer Ruku and Sujood or only
Sujood in the Masnoon way is exempted from the
Qiyam. It is not necessary that they must sit on the
ground in the same way as one sits in Tashahhud. They
can sit in any way convenient to them, even if they keep
their feet spread towards Qiblah, it is permissible. They
should adopt a posture that is easy and possible to sit on
the ground and offer the Salaah with the gesture. It is
better, as this has been the way of our predecessor.

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 Salaah On Chair

Though it is permitted for such people to use chairs for

Salaah, they may avoid using chairs as much as possible.

5. The fifth category is those who can do Qiyam; but for

some reason, are unable to sit on the ground and offer
Ruku and Sujood or only Sujood in Masnoon way.

Such people can use the chair for Salaah. They should
offer their entire Salaah sitting on the chair, they need
not do Qiyam at all.

The result of the above discussion is that only a person

who cannot perform Sajdah in the Masnoon way even
while sitting on the ground is only allowed to offer
Salaah on a chair with the gesture. Please remember that
this principle applies to every Salaah, whether it is Farz,
Wajib, Sunnah or Nafal.

With these rules in mind, those who use chairs to offer

Salaah should consider their condition, are they really
disabled to such a degree that the Shariah permits them
to offer Salaah on chairs?

If they are not disabled to the extent that Shariah permits

the use of a chair for Salaah, then they must avoid using
a chair and save their Salaah from being ruined. This
will also help to reduce chairs in the mosques.

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Salaah On Chair

WHAT KIND OF CHAIR SHOULD BE USED?

You have understood the excuses under which Shariah

allows the use of a chair to offer Salaah, now you should
also know the principle of Fiqh that a person who is
permitted to use a chair due to some excuse can utilize
it only to the extent of his needs. So, he should use a
simple chair as far as possible. It is better to use a chair
that does not have support for leaning back and holding
hands. Suppose he needs to recline due to back pain; he
should use a simple chair with a backrest. It is
appropriate to have folding chairs that can be folded and
placed in a corner after use so that it does not take up
much space and the dignity of the mosque is also
maintained. A chair with a plank in front should never
be used.

Keep in mind that humility is an important part of

Salaah, so avoid sitting relaxed on comfortable chairs.
Whether you offer Salaah in the mosque or at your
home; take care of the etiquettes of the Royal Court of
Almighty Allah.

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 Salaah On Chair

HOW TO PLACE A CHAIR IN A ROW

The right way to keep a chair in the row while offering
Salaah in the congregation is to place its back legs in
line with the heels of other worshipers. So that when a
disabled person sits on the chair his shoulders are in line
with their shoulders. A person who offers Salaah on a
chair can pray in between a row, he does not need to
pray in a corner of the row. However, if he is satisfied
that no part of the row will remain empty, then he should
place his chair at the end of the row, so that there is no
apparent division in the rows, and no one is disturbed.

The chairs should not be arranged beforehand, because

often by the time the congregation is established a few
chairs remain empty, the people who come later form
rows behind these chairs and thus a gap remains in the
row. Later if any disabled person comes, he tries to
reach the chair to fill that gap, this disrupts the Salaah.
So, it is better to keep the folding chairs in a corner of
the mosque from where disabled people could take a
chair and put it in a row to offer the Salaah and thereafter
fold the chair and put it back in the same place.

In the mosque where disabled people are in large

numbers, all of them should pray on one side. They
should place their chairs behind each other as explained.

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Salaah On Chair

HOW TO PRAY WHILE SITTING ON A CHAIR

As mentioned earlier, the use of a chair to offer Salaah

is permissible only when a person is unable to offer
Sajdah in the Masnoon way while sitting on the ground.
Such a person is exempted from Qiyam despite having
the power to stay in Qiyam. For him, it is better to offer
Salaah being seated with gestures rather than to offer
Salaah while standing. That person should offer his
entire Salaah, from Takbeer-e-Tahreemah to Salaam,
being seated on the chair.

Now we shall explain to you in some detail how a person

should offer his two-Rakaat Salaah when offering alone.
Whoever intends to offer Salaah, should begin his
Salaah by taking care that all the pre-conditions of the
Salaah are fulfilled. That is,
x He should be free from Actual and Ritual
Impurities.
x He must have covered his entire Sitr.
x He must ensure that it is the time of the Salaah
that he wants to offer.
x He should place his chair in such a way that when
he sits on it, he faces the Qiblah.
x He must have the intention of the Salaah he wants
to offer.

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 Salaah On Chair

He must sit on the chair in such a way that his head;

body and feet are straight. His feet should rest on the
ground in such a way that there is a gap of four fingers
between his feet. He must keep his back straight and
should not lean without any excuse. If it is difficult to
keep the legs straight, then he can spread them towards
the Qiblah, but he should avoid doing so without an
excuse. Similarly placing the feet on each other;
crossing them; placing them on the pipe of the chair is
against the manners of the Salaah.

For Takbeer-e-Tahreemah, he should raise both hands

to his ears in such a way that both thumbs are equal to
the earlobes. It is better if they touch the earlobes. The
palms must be kept straight in such a way that the palms
and fingers face the Qiblah. The fingers must remain in
their natural state, neither stuck together nor wide open.

Now, saying “Allahu Akbar”, in such a loud voice that

he can hear himself, he should bring the hands down and
fold them below the navel.

The Masnoon way to fold the hands is that he should

first place the palm of his left hand below the navel.
Then place the palm of the right hand on the wrist joint
of the left hand and keep the thumb and little finger in
such a way that they encircle the wrist and the middle
three fingers rest on the back of the left wrist.
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Salaah On Chair

Now he should focus his eyes on his lap.

Immediately thereafter, recite the Sanaa, A‘oozubillah

and Bismillah.

Then do the Qirat, that is recite Surah Fatihah and say

Aamin at the end, and then, add any Surah. Recitation
means to read at least with such a voice that he can hear
himself. If he recited in such a low voice that even he
could not hear or recited in his heart that his lips did not
move, then he has not fulfilled the Farz of recitation and
the Salaah is not valid.

Some people pronounce Takbeer-e-Tahreemah and do

Qirat while standing, thereafter they sit down on a chair
and offer Ruku, Sujood etc. It is not necessary. Their
Salaah will be valid, but if they offer their entire Salaah
being seated, it is better, as they are exempted from
Qiyam. Because, when a person stands in front of his
chair he becomes ahead in the row, now his shoulders
are not aligned with the shoulders of other worshipers in
that row, but if he remains seated in the chair the
alignment is better.

Immediately after completing the Qirat, he should bend

down to offer Ruku saying, “Allahu Akbar”. In Ruku,
he should place his hands on his thighs in such a way
that his fingers are on the edges of the knees, in such a
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 Salaah On Chair

way that they are neither too open nor completely

joined. He should bend his back a bit for Ruku, it is not
necessary to flatten the back. Recite “Subhaana
Rabbiyal ‘Azeem” at least three times in Ruku.

Then, get up from Ruku saying “Sami ‘Allahu Liman

Hamidah”. And after sitting upright, say “Allahumma
Rabbanaa Wa Lakal Hamd”. This is his Qaumah. As
explained earlier, he should not hang his hands but let
them rest on his thighs. In Qaumah, he should focus his
eyes on his lap. In Qaumah, it is Wajib to sit for the time
in which “Subhaanallah” could be recited at least once.

If the worshiper did not rise properly from Ruku,

instead, he went into Sajdah without sitting straight,
then that person has deliberately abandoned the Wajib,
hence his Salaah is not valid.

After Ruku and Qaumah, he must bend to offer the first

Sajdah saying, “Allahu Akbar”. The one offering Salaah
on a chair should bow to a greater extent than he bowed
in Ruku. If one bows only as much as he bowed in Ruku
or bows lesser than that, his Salaah will not be valid.

Some people place their elbows on their thighs while

offering Sajdah and put their palms forward from the
knees in such a way that they are in the air. This method
is against the Sunnah. Similarly, others spread their
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Salaah On Chair

hands in the air while offering Sajdah, this is also against

the Sunnah.

Some people offer Salaah on chairs which have a desk

built in front of them and they rest their foreheads on
this board, it is not right to do so.

Those who offer Sajdah with gestures should place their

hands on the thighs as usual while offering Sajdah.
Recite “Subhaana Rabbiyal A‘laa” at least three times
in Sajdah. After completing this Tasbeeh, he should
raise his head from Sajdah saying “Allahu Akbar”.

To sit in this manner between two Sujood is known as

Jalsah and is Wajib. In Jalsah, he must keep his palms
on his thighs in the same way as explained under Ruku.
In Jalsah, it is Wajib to sit for the time in which
“Subhaanallah” could be recited at least once. It is
Mustahab to focus his eyes on the lap during this time.
To say “Allahummaghfirli” once in the Jalsah is
Mustahab. In this way, the Wajib of staying in the Jalsah
for the time in which “Subhaanallah” could be recited at
least once is also fulfilled.

Then he should offer the second Sajdah, saying “Allahu

Akbar”, as described earlier, and like the first Sajdah,
recite “Subhaana Rabbiyal A‘laa” at least thrice in the
second Sajdah also. After reciting the Tasbeeh, he
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 Salaah On Chair

should raise his head from Sajdah saying “Allahu

Akbar” and sit straight for the second Rakat.

He should offer the second Rakat as the first one. But

should not recite Sanaa and A‘oozubillah. After tying
hands, first, recite Bismillah, and then Surah Fatihah,
and then add any other Surah. Then offer Ruku and
Sujood with gestures as done in the first Rakat.

After the second Sajdah of the second Rakat, perform

Qadah, here he must place both hands on his thighs as
he did in Qaumah and Jalsah. It is Mustahab to keep eyes
on the lap in Qadah. In Qadah, he must recite full
Attahiyyat, as it is Wajib. When he reaches “Ashhadu”,
he must close the last two fingers of his right hand, touch
the thumb to the middle finger making a circle and then
raise the index finger at “Laa” and lower it on reaching
“Illaa”. And straighten all the fingers.

After Tashahhud it is Sunnah to recite Durood-e-

Ibrahimi and thereafter any Duaa-e-Masoorah.

Then turn the face towards the right shoulder saying

“Assalaamu ‘Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah”. In Salaam, he
should turn his face to such an extent that his eyes are
on the right shoulder, as it is Mustahab.

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Salaah On Chair

Then turn the face towards the left shoulder saying

“Assalaamu ‘Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah”. It is Mustahab
for him to turn his face to such an extent that his eyes
are on the left shoulder.

Thus, the Salaah comprising two Rakaat has been

completed.

For more information regarding issues related to Salaah,

you must watch our video program "Anwaar-e-Namaz"
on our YouTube channel. The link and QR code are
given on the back page of the book.

May Allah accept this effort of ours in Sadaqah and

Tufail of Sayyidul-Mursaleen, Rahmatul-Lil‘alamin.
May Allah save us from the whispers of Satan and
protect us from following our inclinations and grant us
the ability to fully obey the Shariah. Aamin.

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