Ruling on praying by gestures because of a headache.

22 Jul 2010 02:10 GMT

Sometimes I get a headache and I cannot pray except by means of gestures. I do not prostrate because of this headache with which I cannot prostrate. What is the ruling on this? May Allah reward you with the best of rewards on my behalf.

Praise be to Allaah.

Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

âSo keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you canâ

al-Taghaabun 64:16

âAllaah burdens not a person beyond his scopeâ

al-Baqarah 2:286

So if a person has a pain in his head which makes it difficult for him to prostrate on the ground and he will be harmed by that, there is nothing wrong with him making gestures, and his gesture for prostration should be deeper than his gesture for bowing. There is nothing wrong with him bowing and prostrating in gestures, but his prostration should be deeper than his bowing, if it is too difficult for him to prostrate on the ground because of pain in his head or other sicknesses which prevent him from prostrating.

Shaykh âAbd al-âAzeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him)

Fataawa Noor âala al-Darb, 2/1013

-- Islam QA