Which Muslim Adults Are Not Obliged to Pray?
من هو المسلم البالغ العاقل الذي تسقط عنه الصلاة؟
The woman in her menses, or the woman with postpartum bleeding, and no one else is exempted from praying.
المرأة الحائض والنفساء ولا تسقط عن غيرهم.
1. When Menstruation Comes, Leave the Prayer | فإذا أقبلت الحيضة فدعي الصلاة
To a woman whose bleeding continued, the Prophet said: That is a vein, not menstruation; when menstruation comes, leave the prayer, and when it ends, bathe and pray (Sahih al-Bukhari 320). Menstruation and the fast are explained in the excuses for breaking the fast.
قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "ذلك عرق، وليست بالحيضة، فإذا أقبلت الحيضة فدعي الصلاة، وإذا أدبرت فاغتسلي وصلي" (صحيح البخاري 320).
2. Postpartum Bleeding | كانت النفساء تقعد بعد نفاسها أربعين يوما
Umm Salamah said: In the time of the Messenger of Allah, the woman with postpartum bleeding would sit out for forty days, or forty nights, after giving birth (Sunan Abi Dawud 311, graded hasan sahih by al-Albani). At-Tirmidhi records that the scholars among the Companions, the Followers and those after them agreed that she leaves the prayer for forty days, unless she sees purity before that, in which case she bathes and prays (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 139).
قالت أم سلمة رضي الله عنها: "كانت النفساء على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم تقعد بعد نفاسها أربعين يوما أو أربعين ليلة" (سنن أبي داود 311، وحسنه الألباني)، قال الترمذي: وقد أجمع أهل العلم من أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم والتابعين ومن بعدهم على أن النفساء تدع الصلاة أربعين يوما إلا أن ترى الطهر قبل ذلك فإنها تغتسل وتصلي (جامع الترمذي 139).
3. The Prayers Are Not Made Up | فلا يأمرنا به
A woman asked Aishah: Must one of us make up her prayers when she becomes pure? Aishah said: We used to menstruate in the time of the Prophet, and he did not command us to do so (Sahih al-Bukhari 321). The prayer is lifted from her, not delayed.
قالت امرأة لعائشة: أتجزي إحدانا صلاتها إذا طهرت؟ فقالت: أحرورية أنت، "كنا نحيض مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فلا يأمرنا به" (صحيح البخاري 321).
4. The Sick Pray as They Can | صل قائما فإن لم تستطع فقاعدا
Imran ibn Husayn, who was ill, asked the Prophet about the prayer, and he said: Pray standing; if you cannot, then sitting; and if you cannot, then lying on your side (Sahih al-Bukhari 1117). This is the scholar’s “no one else”: illness changes how a person prays, not whether he prays. Who is obliged to pray is explained in who is obliged to perform prayers.
قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لعمران بن حصين: "صل قائما، فإن لم تستطع فقاعدا، فإن لم تستطع فعلى جنب" (صحيح البخاري 1117).
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Which Muslim adults are not obliged to pray?
Among sane adult Muslims, only the menstruating woman and the woman with postpartum bleeding; the prayer is not lifted from anyone else.
Does a menstruating woman make up the prayers she missed?
No. Aishah said: We used to menstruate in the time of the Prophet, and he did not command us to make them up (Sahih al-Bukhari 321).
How long does postpartum bleeding exempt a woman from prayer?
Up to forty days, as Umm Salamah reported (Sunan Abi Dawud 311, graded hasan sahih by al-Albani); if she sees purity before that, she bathes and prays (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 139).
Is a sick person excused from prayer?
No. He prays as he can: standing; if not, sitting; if not, lying on his side (Sahih al-Bukhari 1117).