How Can a Person Who Cannot Move Hands or Arms Perform Tayamum?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question

How can a person who cannot move hands or arms perform tayamum?

Answer

I pray you are well.

Someone in such a condition would not need to perform tayammum, nor would he have to pray until he is able to do so. When he regains the ability to move his hands he can make wudu and pray.

Unless, however, there is someone who is expected to obey him, such as his child or a carer of the same gender in his employment, who can wash hands, face, and feet, and wipe his head. If this is the case, they should do so, and he would then perform the prayer with gestures. It is important to note here that his gesture for the sujud must be lower than his gesture for ruku’.

(Tahtawi, Hashiya Maraqi al Falah; Ibn ‘Abidin; Radd al Muhtar).

Thanking Allah

Alhamdulillah. Everyone is tried with something or the other. It’s important to take a step back from our pain and look at the blessings Allah constantly grants us. Whether it is safety, food, shelter, health, or even not being in a worse situation. Zooming out and seeing the bigger picture helps putting our difficulties in perspective.

Allah’s favours keep coming. We ask Him to make us grateful for them in all situations.

May Allah grant you wellbeing and every good of this life and the next.

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History, he moved to Damascus in 2007, where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital. He was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.