FatwaFederal TerritoriesPrayer (Salah)
STATUS TAKLIF ORANG SUDAH UZUR KERANA TUA
Is an elderly person who is frail and senile still bound by religious obligations such as prayer, and must the diaper be changed before each prayer?
Short answer
The person's obligation depends on their actual condition. As long as they remain sane and of sound mind, religious obligation still applies to them.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Prayer (Salah)
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
The person's obligation depends on their actual condition. As long as they remain sane and of sound mind, religious obligation still applies to them. If they reach a stage of memory loss and forget everything, they are considered not legally accountable (mukallaf). Their true status should be determined by a medical specialist, and the diaper must be changed if it contains impurity.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Selama mana beliau masih berakal dan waras, maka hak taklif masih berlalu atas beliau.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “STATUS TAKLIF ORANG SUDAH UZUR KERANA TUA”, 3 September 2015. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/1704-status-taklif-orang-sudah-uzur-kerana-tua. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/obligation-of-frail-elderly-person-prayer/