No matter what illness you have, nor how weak and frail you are, Salaah is not forgiven and must be prayed. If you are of sound mind and intellect, then it must be prayed punctually except in a very few specific instances where it is forgiven. However, in order to perform it, it is allowed for a person to lean on a stick if he is unable to stand; or perform it sitting down if he not even able to do that; or lean against something if he is unable to sit upright; he is even allowed to perform it lying down and perform the various actions with signs and gestures if he is unable to perform Salaah by any of the methods described above. The point is, Salaah must be performed, no matter how sick, weak, or feeble a person may be. Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam said, "Perform Salaah by standing, if you do not have the strength then perform it sitting down. If you do not even have the strength for that, then perform it lying down with signs and gestures."
Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam's habit was also that he would perform Salaah whilst seated when he was ill and weak. A'ala Hazrat 'Alaihir Rahmah's life was a living picture of the orders and commands of Sayyedina Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam. When he was healthy, he would stand whist praying his Salaah and would remain busy in trying to please the Lord. When he was weaker, he would stand and use the support of a stick to help him stand and would use the stick to help him bow and prostrate. He would do whatever needed to be done but he never missed his Salaah.
A'ala Hazrat 'Alaihir Rahmah wrote a letter dated 4 Rabi 'ul Aakhir 1334 A.H. in which he wrote, "I have been a victim of backaches and bladder infection for the last year and a half, and stand, bow, and prostrate in Salaah with the help of a stick. But, Alhamdo Lillah, Allah Ta'ala has granted me steadfastness on the religion in such a way that even though the pain is increasing day by day, the supreme and excellent Protection of Allah Ta'ala is over me. All praise if for Allah Ta'ala who is Lord of all the worlds."
One day, whilst A'ala Hazrat 'Alaihir Rahmah was in Jabalpur, Hazrat 'Abdus Salaam said, "Jabalpur is very fortunate in that your health has remained excellent here. In Bareilly Shareef, sometimes you have to use the aid of a stick whilst standing, bowing and prostrating in Salaah, but here I have not seen you need the help or support of a stick."
A'ala Hazrat 'Alaihir Rahmah writes the following about his final illness before he passed away - "Along with this illness, I am suffering from a cold and extreme coughing, and the viscosity of the phlegm is such that I have to make many attempts before finally being able to release it. The cough is continuous, and the constant jerking in order to remove the phlegm is causing extreme pain in the chest and ribs. In twenty-two (22) days, my biceps have become one and a half inches smaller than before due to dehydration caused by this illness; in twenty-two days, the top of my thighs have become the same size that my biceps used to be. I am also still suffering from extreme constipation, and severe flatulence… and going to the Mosque is out of the question. Fifteen days prior to this, the illness of diarrhoea had made me very weak. A stool on which I could pray Salaah was placed right beside the couch, but it is with great difficulty that I am able to move from the couch to the stool. Alhamdo Lillah, up to now, I am still praying the Farz and Waajib and the Sunnah of Fajr whilst standing with the help of a stick. However, only I know of the pain that I am experiencing at that time. The state of my pulse is (such) that it stops four times every minute. A state of breathlessness and uneasiness remains for a short time and then, by the Grace of Allah Ta'ala, the pulse starts again."
The rules and laws of Islam state that if a person is able to stand, bow, and prostrate with the help of a stick, he is not able to pray his compulsory (Farz & Waajib) Salaah whilst seated. Neither does he have permission to perform his bowing and prostration with signs and gestures. This is why A'ala Hazrat 'Alaihir Rahmah withstood great pain and difficulty, but did not fall short in performing the worship that is the coolness of the eyes of his Master and Beloved Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam; this kind of obedience to the Sunnah of Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam is not evident in this day and age. Let us read one more example of the infatuation that our Imam had with Salaah and attempt to instil love for Salaah in our hearts also.
Once, Imam Ahmed Raza 'Alaihir Rahmah was at one of his residences. There used to be many outbreaks of colic at that time. One day, he was alone and he states, "The pain started at the time of Zuhr Salaah, and somehow I managed to perform ablution. It was impossible for me to stand for prayer, but I supplicated to Allah Ta'ala and I asked Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam to help me, as Allah Ta'ala listens to the cries of those who are helpless. I made the intention to perform the Sunnah prayers, and the pain completely disappeared. As soon as I finished the four rak'ats of Sunnah, the pain was as intense as before. I stood up immediately and made intention for the four rak'ats of Farz; the pain disappeared. Once again, as soon as I completed the four rak'ats, the pain was extremely severe. I performed the Sunnahs after the Farz and once again, whist I was in prayer there was no pain, but as soon as I turned my head to complete the prayers, the pain would return with the same intensity as before. Once I had completed my prayers, I said, 'Now you (the pain) can stay until it is time for 'Asr prayers.' I laid down on the bed and was tossing and turning, but the pain would not allow me to be comfortable, no matter which way I slept or turned."
Either the pain was completely removed at the time of prayers, or A'ala Hazrat 'Alaihir Rahmah was so absorbed and engrossed in prayers that he did not feel any pain. In either case, Imam Ahmed Raza 'Alaihir Rahmah's acceptance in the Court of Allah Ta'ala and his devotion and eagerness for obtaining closeness to Allah Ta'ala are clearly evident.
Someone has said so beautifully and eloquently:
"If the love is true, all the graces and favours are yours."
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