Performing Salāh on a Plane

15th October 2014

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Question: What is the Islamic ruling on performing Salāh whilst travelling on a plane? Scholars state that the surface upon which Sujūd is made must be rigid which is only attained by making Sujūd on the Earth. Hence, according to this principle, making Sujūd on plane would not suffice as one is not making Sujūd on the Earth. So what do contemporary scholars say regarding this matter? Lastly, if performing Salāh is valid, then what is the ruling on facing the Qiblah and sitting whilst praying?

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer

To begin with, the classical jurists have stipulated three conditions for sujūd;

  1. Placing the forehead on to the ground.
  2. When making sujūd, the forehead remains firm on the ground or whatever fulfils the similar function as the ground.
  3. To feel the rigidness of the surface upon which sujūd is made.

The primary issue to note is that sujūd must be made on a solid and hard surface whereby the forehead does not slip or wobble during sujūd.[1] So for instance, it is permissible to make sujūd on a piece of cloth or a mat placed on the ground whereby one feels the rigidness of the ground. So the statement ‘sujūd on Earth’ is not to be taken literal, but simply to suggest that sujūd should be made on a rigid surface so that the forehead remains firm. This can be understood from the great Hanafi jurist, Allāma Ibn Nujaym’s rahimahullah statement, “And the principle is that just as sujūd is permitted on the Earth, it is also permissible [to make sujūd] upon anything that implies [in its rigidness] to the Earth in which the forehead feels its rigidity and remains firm on it [and does not wobble]…”[2] Shaykh Khālid Saifullāh Rahmāni explains that stipulation of ‘Earth’ was merely a coincidental stipulation and not a necessary one. What is necessary is the surface to be rigid when the forehead comes in contact with it during Sujūd.[3]

Since aero-planes is relatively a new invention that never existed in those days, adopting the literal application (i.e. Earth) as a necessary condition and ruling out the validity of Salāh on this basis is problematic. It will lead to difficulty as in resulting many Salāh’s becoming Qadha especially when one is capable of performing them. Therefore, performing Salāh on a plane is permissible because the basic requirement of Sujūd namely the rigidness of the surface is fulfilled.

Facing the Qiblah

The obligation of facing the Qiblah also applies whilst being airborne in a plane. One must first determine the Qiblah direction through mere estimation.[4] The jurists state that the direction of Qiblah is not only confined to the Earth but stretches up to the seven heavens.[5] If the plane happens to divert from the direction of Qiblah whilst performing Salāh, then one must turn towards its direction in Salāh.

A similitude case is reading Salāh on a sailing ship that diverts from the direction of Qiblah whilst performing it. If one is unable to face the Qiblah direction due to some genuine reason, for instance, illness and so on, then it is permissible to face whichever direction is convenient. Similarly in a plane as well.[6] 

Standing or Sitting?

The similar rulings of performing Salāh on a sailing ship also applies to plane. In this case, according to the preferred view of the Hanafi School, it is obligatory to stand and perform Salāh. One must not resort to sitting whilst praying unless due to genuine circumstances such as dizziness, illness, pain in the leg or any valid reason not allowing one to make sujūd except by mere gesture.[7]

 

[Allãh Knows Best]

Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed

Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

[1] Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābus Salāh Bahth Ruku wa Sujūd, vol 2 p.134

(قَوْلُهُ وَمِنْهَا السُّجُودُ) هُوَ لُغَةً: الْخُضُوعُ قَامُوسٌ، وَفَسَّرَهُ فِي الْمُغْرِبِ بِوَضْعِ الْجَبْهَةِ فِي الْأَرْضِ. وَفِي الْبَحْرِ: حَقِيقَةُ السُّجُودِ وَضْعُ بَعْضِ الْوَجْهِ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ مِمَّا لَا سُخْرِيَةَ فِيهِ

Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābus Salāh Bāb Sifat Salāh, vol 2 p.206

أَمَّا إذَا كَانَ) الْكَوْرُ (عَلَى رَأْسِهِ فَقَطْ وَسَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ مُقْتَصِرًا) أَيْ وَلَمْ تُصِبْ الْأَرْضُ جَبْهَتَهُ وَلَا أَنْفَهُ عَلَى الْقَوْلِ بِهِ (لَا) يَصِحُّ لِعَدَمِ السُّجُودِ عَلَى مَحَلِّهِ وَبِشَرْطِ طَهَارَةِ الْمَكَانِ وَأَنْ يَجِدَ حَجْمَ الْأَرْضِ وَالنَّاسُ عَنْهُ غَافِلُونَ

(قَوْلُهُ وَأَنْ يَجِدَ حَجْمَ الْأَرْضِ) تَفْسِيرُهُ أَنَّ السَّاجِدَ لَوْ بَالَغَ لَا يَتَسَفَّلُ رَأْسَهُ أَبْلَغَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، فَصَحَّ عَلَى طُنْفُسَةٍ وَحَصِيرٍ وَحِنْطَةٍ وَشَعِيرٍ وَسَرِيرٍ وَعَجَلَةٍ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ لَا عَلَى ظَهْرِ حَيَوَانٍ كَبِسَاطٍ مَشْدُودٍ بَيْنَ أَشْجَارٍ

[2] Ibn Nujaym, Bahr Rāiq, Kitābus Salāh, Bāb Sifat Salāh, vol 1 p. 558

وَالْأَصْلُ كَمَا أَنَّهُ يَجُوزُ السُّجُودُ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ يَجُوزُ عَلَى مَا هُوَ بِمَعْنَى الْأَرْضِ مِمَّا تَجِدُ جَبْهَتُهُ حَجْمَهُ وَتَسْتَقِرُّ عَلَيْهِ

[3] Jadeed Fiqhi Masā’il vol 1, p.134

[4] This information can be obtained by the navigational map of the journey which appears on the T.V screens

[5] Durrul Mukhtār wa hashiyah Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābus Salāh Bāb Shuroot Salāh vol 2 p.109

(وَالْمُعْتَبَرُ) فِي الْقِبْلَةِ (الْعَرْصَةُ لَا الْبِنَاءُ) فَهِيَ مِنْ الْأَرْضِ السَّابِعَةِ إلَى الْعَرْشِ

[6] Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābus Salāh Bāb Salāhtul-Mareedh vol 2 p. 573

وَيَلْزَمُ اسْتِقْبَالُ الْقِبْلَةِ عِنْدَ الِافْتِتَاحِ وَكُلَّمَا دَارَتْ

Al-Fiqh Al Madhahibil Arb’a Mabhath Salātill Fardh Fi Safeenat, vol 1 p.187

من أراد أن يصلي في سفينة فرضاً أو نفلاً فعليه أن يستقبل القبلة متى قدر على ذلك، وليس له أن يصلي إلى غير جهتها، حتى لو دارت السفينة وهو يصلي، وجب عليه أن يدور إلى جهة القبلة حيث دارت، فإن عجز عن استقبالها صلى إلى جهة قدرته، ويسقط عنه السجود أيضاً إذا عجز عنه، ومحل كل ذلك إذا خاف خروج الوقت قبل أن تصل السفينة أو القاطرة إلى المكان الذي يصلي فيه صلاة كاملة، ولا تجب عليه الإعادة، ومثل السفينة القطر البخارية البرية. والطائرات الجوية. ونحوها.

[7] Zuhayli, Fiqhul Islami wa adillatihu, Kitābus Salāh, Salāt fi Safeenat wa mithliha Ta’irati wa Sayyārati, vol 2 p.60

تجوز صلاة الفريضة في السفينة والطائرة والسيارة قاعداً، ولو بلا عذر عند أبي حنيفة، ولكن بشرط الركوع والسجود.وقال الصاحبان: لا تصح إلا لعذر، وهو الأظهر. والعذر كدوران الرأس، وعدم القدرة على الخروج.ويشترط التوجه للقبلة في بدء الصلاة، ويستدير إليها كلما استدارت السفينة، ولو ترك الاستقبال لا تجزئه الصلاة، وإن عجز عن الاستقبال يمسك عن الصلاة حتى يقدر على الإتمام مستقبلاً.