Short answer
Yes, if you cannot stand or sit. In the Hanafi school a sick person prays standing if able, otherwise sitting, and if they cannot sit, lying on their back with the feet towards the qibla and the head raised, nodding the head for ruku and a little lower for sajdah. Illness does not cancel prayer while you are conscious.
Prayer is not dropped for illness while the person is conscious and can move the head. Lying on the back with the feet to the qibla and the head propped up is preferred, and lying on the right side facing the qibla is also valid. If even nodding the head is impossible, the prayer is postponed, and if that lasts beyond a full day and night (more than five prayers), those prayers are not made up.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Lie on the right side facing the qibla; if you cannot move the head, gesture with the eyes, and if not, go through the prayer in your heart. It is never dropped while you are conscious.
- Maliki
- Lie on the right side if possible; the prayer is not dropped while the mind is present.
- Hanbali
- Lie on the right side facing the qibla; if you cannot nod, gesture with the eyes. It is not dropped while you are conscious.
Explanation
Islam makes prayer possible in every state. The Prophet ﷺ told a sick companion: pray standing; if you cannot, then sitting; and if you cannot, then on your side. Allah does not ask more of a person than they can bear, so you pray in whatever position you can manage.
- Standing, even leaning on a wall or stick, if you can.
- Sitting, on the floor or a chair, bowing for ruku and lower for sajdah if you cannot go down; see praying on a chair.
- Lying down: on your back with your feet towards the qibla and a pillow under your head so your face points towards it. Nod your head for ruku and nod lower for sajdah.
- In hospital: if you cannot turn to the qibla and nobody can help you, pray in the direction you can.
- Wudu: if water would harm you or you cannot reach it, use tayammum.
- Clothes and bed: if changing or cleaning them is too hard, pray as you are.
- Continuous leaking or a catheter: see praying with urine leakage.
- Unconscious: in the Hanafi school, prayers missed during more than a full day and night of unconsciousness are not made up.
Mental illness is covered in do you have to pray with a mental illness. Ask your doctor what positions are safe for you.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:286
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًۭا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ﴿٢٨٦﴾
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people."
Prayer is required only in the way a person is able.
Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imraan 3:191
ٱلَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ قِيَٰمًۭا وَقُعُودًۭا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَٰطِلًۭا سُبْحَٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ﴿١٩١﴾
Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
Allah is remembered in every position, including lying down.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1117
Sahih... صل قائما فإن لم تستطع فقاعدا فإن لم تستطع فعلى جنب ...
"Pray standing; if you cannot, then sitting; and if you cannot, then on your side."
The order of positions for a sick person.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Salah, chapter on the prayer of the sick. The order of positions, nodding the head, and the lapse of prayers missed beyond a day and night.
- Nur al-Idah with Maraqi al-Falah, Chapter on the prayer of the sick. Lying on the back with the feet to the qibla is preferred; gesturing with the eyes is not counted.
- al-Majmu' (Nawawi), Chapter on the prayer of the sick. The Shafi'i rules of lying on the side and gesturing with the eyes.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.