How Should the Sick Person Pray

1. The sick person must perform the obligatory prayers standing, even if bending or leaning against a wall or a stick.

2. If he is unable to stand, then he may pray sitting, and it is better for him to sit cross-legged during the standing and bowing positions.

3. If he is unable to pray sitting, then he should pray on his
side, facing the Qiblah, and the right side is better. If he is unable to face the Qiblah, he may pray in whichever direction he is facing and his prayer will be correct and he does not have to repeat it.

4. If he is unable to pray on his side, then he may pray on his back, with his feet facing towards the Qiblah, and it is better for him to raise his head a little, in order to face the Qiblah. If he is unable to direct his feet towards the Qiblah, then he may pray in whichever direction he is facing and he does not have to repeat his prayer.

5. The sick person must bow and prostrate in prayer, but if he is unable to, he may indicate them by inclining his head, making the prostration lower than the bowing. If he is able bow but not to prostrate, then he may bow at the time of bowing and incline his head at the time of prostration. If he is able to prostrate, but not to bow, then he may prostrate at the time of prostration and incline his head at the time of bowing.

6. If he is unable to incline his head in bowing and prostration, he may indicate with his eyes, closing them a little for bowing and closing them more tightly for the prostration. As for indicating with the finger, as some invalids do, it is not correct, and I know of no basis for it in the Book (of Allah) or the Sunnah or the sayings of the scholars.

7. If he is unable to incline his head or indicate with his eyes, he may pray with his heart, making the Takbir, reciting and intending the bowing and the prostration in his heart - and every person will have what he intended.

8. The sick person must offer each prayer at its stated time and do every obligation he is capable of. If it is difficult for him to perform every prayer at its stated time, then he may combine the Zu~r and 'Asr prayers and the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers, either by advancing the 'Asr prayer to the time .of the Zuhr prayer and the 'Isha' prayer to the time of the Maghrib prayer, or by delaying the Zuhr prayer to the time of the 'Asr prayer and the Maghrib prayer to the time of the 'Isha' prayer ¬whichever is easier for him. As for the Fajr prayer, it may neither be combined with the prayer before it, nor the prayer after it.

Shaikh Ibn Uthaimin (Rahimahullah)

Reference: Fatawa Islamiyah Volume 2 Pages 439-441