Dought & Clear, - He is mentally ill and does not pray or fast; what is the ruling?.

What is the ruling on a person who is psychotic bipolar and does not
offer prayers, or fast? Whenever he is advised to do so he says that
he is ill and Allah will forgive him but actually the person is not
physically disable to offer prayer. Also, what about his sense of
judgement? He thinks heis always right even though when sometimeshe is
not, and he thinks others are always wrongand he backbites them.
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
We ask Allah to heal this sick person from this sickness that he is
suffering, and we ask Him, may He be glorified,to guide us and him to
the truth and the right path, for He is able to do that.
Secondly:
The conditions of accountability with regard to commands and
prohibitions are being an adult and being of sound mind. When a person
becomes an adult of sound mind, it becomes obligatory for him to do
what is enjoined of praying, fasting, giving zakaah, performing Hajj
and other obligatory duties, and he is also obliged to avoid things
that are prohibited.
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah (vol. 2, 6/370): Prayer is
obligatory upon the individual and is not waived under any
circumstances so long as he is of sound mind, because the conditions
of accountability are being an adult and being of sound mind. The
command to pray is not waived because of loss of a limb or physical
faculty, or because of sickness, or similar problems, because of
thegeneral meaning of the Qur'an and Sunnah, and scholarly consensus
to that effect. But if a person suffers some physical harm and is not
able to do all the obligatory actions and essential parts of the
prayer, then he may pray according to what he is able to do. End
quote.
Based on that, if this mental illness does not affect the person's
reasoning or consciousness, as appears to be the case inthe situation
mentioned,then it is obligatory for him to pray and fast, because he
is still accountable.
But if he loses his mind sometimes, and is of sound mind sometimes,
then he is excused at thetimes when he loses his mind, but when he
comes back to his senses the excuse is no longer applicable, and he
has tooffer the prayer that is currently due and make up the prayers
that he missed during the time when he lost his mind.
What you must do is advise this man and remind him of the great
importance of prayer and fasting, and tell him that the one who does
not do these duties without any excuse is in grave danger; in fact
keeping away from remembrance of Allah is one of the greatest causes
of mental illness, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in
this Quran nor acts on itsorders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of
hardship"
[Ta-Ha 20:124].
Allah, may He be glorified, also tells us of the means of attaining
peace of mind, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest"
[ar-Ra 'd 13:28].
It should be noted that the individual is responsible for all of his
deeds before his Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, so long as he
is aware of what he is saying or doing. His illness is not an excuse
for him to commit whatever sins he wants, such as neglecting the
prayer, backbiting and spreading malicious gossip. … The individual
has no argument againsthis Lord, may He be glorified and exalted;
rather Allah has the perfect proof and argument against all His
creation.
We ask Allah to set the affairs of the Muslims straight and to bring
them back to Him.
And Allah knows best. - - ▓███▓ Translator:->
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