Q: I read in one of your fatwas that if a person is unable to pray standing in a plane and therefore prays seated, they must repeat the salah later on. Is this because
* The first salah was invalid - so that they should intend qada when they repeat it?
* Or was the first salah valid (i.e. fulfilled the fard) and the second one just a repetition of it in a more perfect manner?
A: Shari'ah has not permitted a person who is able to perform salaah standing and make sajdah on the ground to sit on a chair and perform the postures of salaah (i.e. the sajdah) with gestures. Hence, if a person performed the salaah on the plane sitting on his seat, the salaah will have to be repeated later on as it was not valid.
Note: When one is traveling, one should try his level best to perform his salaah standing while facing the qiblah and making the sajdah on the ground. However, if one is prevented on the plane from performing salaah standing and facing the qiblah, and he is forced to sit on the seat and perform salaah with gestures, then he should perform the salaah in this way, but repeat the salaah later on.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
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