I have recently had an emergency operation on my spine. As I am still in recovery it means I struggle to walk, bend down, sit down and stand up for a few minutes.

My question is, how should I perform my wudhu if I can’t bend down to wipe my feet and how should I pray as I can’t pray normally?

by

Can you lift your feet for wudhu?

I pray you recover soon. Below are the rulings by Ayatollah Sayed Sistani in regards to not being able to pray in the normal way.

Ruling 955. If a person becomes unable to stand while performing prayers, he must sit down; and if he is unable to sit down as well, he must lie down. However, he must not say any of the obligatory dhikrs until his body becomes still.

Ruling 956. As long as a person is able to perform prayers in a standing position, he must not sit down. For example, someone whose body shakes when he stands, or is compelled to lean on something or incline his body a little, must perform prayers in a standing position in whatever way he can. However, if he cannot stand at all, he must sit straight and perform prayers in a sitting position.

Ruling 957. As long as one can sit, he must not perform prayers in a lying position, and if he cannot sit straight he must sit in whatever way he can. If he cannot sit at all, he must – as mentioned in the rules relating to qibla – lie on his side in a way that the front part of his body faces qibla. Furthermore, as long as it is possible for him to lie on his right side, he must not – based on obligatory precaution – lie on his left side. And if neither of these are possible, he must lie on his back with the soles of his feet facing qibla.

Ruling 958. With regard to someone who performs prayer in a sitting position, if after reciting Sūrat al‑Ḥamd and the other surah he can stand and perform rukūʿ in a standing position, he must stand up and from a standing position go into rukūʿ; but if he cannot stand and perform rukūʿ in a standing position, he must perform rukūʿ sitting.

Ruling 959. With regard to one who performs prayers lying down, if he can sit during prayers, he must do so as much as he is able to. Similarly, if he can stand, he must do so as much as he is able to. However, as long as his body is not still, he must not say any of the obligatory dhikrs. And if he knows that he can stand for only a short while, he must do so specifically for the standing that is connected to the rukūʿ.

Ruling 960. If someone who performs prayers in a sitting position can stand during prayers, he must perform prayers in a standing position as much as he is able to. However, as long as his body is not still, he must not say any of the obligatory dhikr. And if he knows that he can stand for only a short while, he must do so for the standing that is connected to the rukūʿ.

Ruling 961. If someone who can stand fears that by standing he will become ill or that he will be harmed, he can perform prayers in a sitting position; and if he also fears [illness or harm] from sitting, he can perform prayers in a lying position.