What Should I Do? Praying on a Plane

Details about the Situation

Ahmed is a 29-year-old engineer living in Boston. He is embarking on a spiritual journey, traveling from Boston to Najaf via London to perform Ziyarat and visit the holy shrines of the Imams (pbut) in Iraq. As a conscientious Muslim who strives to observe all daily prayers on time, he is particularly spiritually focused and committed during this journey.

As the plane takes off and reaches cruising altitude on his flight from Boston to London, Ahmed hears the flight attendants announce that the seatbelt sign will remain on due to upcoming turbulence. This means passengers must remain seated, and it will not be safe or allowed to stand or move about the cabin freely.

Ahmed checks the time and realizes that Dhuhr prayer is approaching. He begins to wonder:

• Can I pray while seated in my airplane seat?
  
• Should I delay the prayer until I land?
  
• What about facing the Qiblah in a moving aircraft?

Background

There is a particular importance placed on the promptness of performing salat once it becomes obligatory. God states, “Indeed, the prayer has been enjoined upon the believers at fixed times” (Quran, 4:103). 

In a powerful reminder, Imam al-Baqir (p) states, “Know that the beginning of the time (for performing a deed) is always better, so hasten to do good as much as you can. And the most beloved deeds to God, the Exalted, are those which a servant persists in, even if they are few” (Bihār al-Anwār: Volume 80, Page 6).

Traveling in conditions like a plane, train, or boat can make it difficult to perform prayer in the usual manner, which includes standing with stability and facing the Qiblah. Islamic jurisprudence recognizes these difficulties, and offers guidelines on how a traveler should adapt their prayer when conditions are unstable or cramped, so that the prayer can still be performed within its valid time.

Ruling

The rulings of Sayyid Ali al-Sistani regarding praying while travelling are as follows:

If there is enough time before the prayer expires: If the traveler cannot pray in the usual way (standing with stability, facing Qiblah), they should try to delay the prayer until they are on stable ground. 

If the time is short or delaying is not possible: The traveler must pray while traveling.

• If standing is not safe or possible, the traveler should at least say the Takbir standing and then continue the prayer sitting down.
• The traveler should turn their body toward the Qiblah whenever possible, and if the direction changes (as in a moving plane), adjust accordingly each time to the best of their ability. 

Action

Ahmed carefully considers his options. Since the plane is currently experiencing turbulence and the seatbelt sign is on, he cannot stand safely. Moreover, the flight time left until arrival is about two hours, but the Dhuhr prayer time will expire in less than an hour.

Following the ruling, Ahmed uses his phone’s compass app or the screen on the seat in front of him, which shows the map, to estimate the Qiblah direction and faces that way as much as possible. He raises his hands and says Takbir while briefly standing in his small space (being cautious to avoid disturbing others or risking injury). He then sits down and completes the prayer in his seat. When the plane changes direction, Ahmed subtly turns his body to realign with the Qiblah without causing inconvenience to fellow passengers.

Ahmed feels a deep sense of relief and gratitude. Even midair, Islam provides a path to maintain a connection with God through flexibility in worship. By adapting to the circumstances while preserving the sanctity of prayer, he is reminded that the journey to the Imams begins with devotion in every step — even at 30,000 feet.