❖ Ruling on Praying in Front of a Reclining Person on a Cot
Source: Fatāwā Muhammadiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 390
If there is a cot placed ahead and someone is lying on it, is it permissible to pray behind or in front of such a person?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa as-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
Yes, it is permissible to offer prayer in this situation. Evidence for this ruling is found in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī.
ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها) narrates:
I would be lying in front of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, in the same manner that a deceased person’s cot is placed in front of the imam during the funeral prayer, and the Prophet ﷺ would perform his prayer.
When he intended to pray Witr, he would wake me, and I would then also pray Witr.
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: كَانَ النَّبِیُّ ﷺ وَأَنَا رَاقِدَةٌ مُعْتَرِضَةٌ عَلَی فِرَاشِهِ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ یُوْتِرَ أَیْقَظَنِیْ فَأَوْتَرْتُ
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Bāb aṣ-Ṣalāh Khalf an-Nā’im, Vol. 1, p. 73)
ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها) said:
"The Prophet ﷺ used to pray while I was lying in front of him on his bed. When he wished to pray Witr, he would wake me up, and I would pray Witr."
This ḥadīth makes it clear that praying in the situation described in the question is permissible, whether the prayer is obligatory (farḍ) or supererogatory (nafl).
Because, in terms of etiquette and requirements of prayer, there is no fundamental difference between obligatory and non-obligatory prayers.
❖ Conclusion:
It is permissible to pray in front of a person lying on a cot, just as it was practiced by the Prophet ﷺ himself in the presence of ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها). This applies to both obligatory and optional prayers.
Source: Fatāwā Muhammadiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 390
❀ Question
If there is a cot placed ahead and someone is lying on it, is it permissible to pray behind or in front of such a person?
✔ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa as-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
Yes, it is permissible to offer prayer in this situation. Evidence for this ruling is found in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī.
➊ Ḥadīth of ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها)
ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها) narrates:
I would be lying in front of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, in the same manner that a deceased person’s cot is placed in front of the imam during the funeral prayer, and the Prophet ﷺ would perform his prayer.
When he intended to pray Witr, he would wake me, and I would then also pray Witr.
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
✿ Wording of the Ḥadīth
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: كَانَ النَّبِیُّ ﷺ وَأَنَا رَاقِدَةٌ مُعْتَرِضَةٌ عَلَی فِرَاشِهِ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ یُوْتِرَ أَیْقَظَنِیْ فَأَوْتَرْتُ
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Bāb aṣ-Ṣalāh Khalf an-Nā’im, Vol. 1, p. 73)
ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها) said:
"The Prophet ﷺ used to pray while I was lying in front of him on his bed. When he wished to pray Witr, he would wake me up, and I would pray Witr."
➋ Legal Ruling
This ḥadīth makes it clear that praying in the situation described in the question is permissible, whether the prayer is obligatory (farḍ) or supererogatory (nafl).
Because, in terms of etiquette and requirements of prayer, there is no fundamental difference between obligatory and non-obligatory prayers.
❖ Conclusion:
It is permissible to pray in front of a person lying on a cot, just as it was practiced by the Prophet ﷺ himself in the presence of ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها). This applies to both obligatory and optional prayers.
