Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه narrates that when the Noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم came to Madinah, it was a place afflicted with fever, so people became ill. When the Noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم came to the mosque and saw that people were sitting and praying, he صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم said: (In terms of reward) the prayer of one who sits is half the prayer of one who stands. So, the people began to perform the prayer standing with difficulty.

And it is narrated from them that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, came to the people while they were performing prayer sitting due to illness. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: The one who performs prayer sitting will receive half the reward compared to the one who performs prayer standing.

Sayyiduna Imran bin Husain (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I was a man with many illnesses, so I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about performing prayer while sitting. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Your prayer performed sitting is half of that performed standing, and likewise, a man's prayer performed lying down is half of that performed sitting. That is, in terms of reward and merit.

Abdullah bin Shaqiq says: I became ill in Persia, so I used to pray sitting. When I inquired about this from Sayyida Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her), she said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray for a long part of the night standing and for a long part of the night sitting. When he recited (Qur'an) standing, he would also perform ruku' standing, and when he recited sitting, he would also perform ruku' sitting.

Saib asked Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that I am only able to perform prayer while sitting; what is your opinion about this? She said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: A man's prayer performed while sitting is half of that performed while standing, that is, in terms of reward and merit.