Q. If a person misses his/her prayers when is a good time to make it up?
Q. I have missed salah from the age of 15, I am now 33, do I have to make up for them? And how do I do it?
Q. Is there proof that a person has to make up missed salah?
A: We are glad that people care for their prayers. We are more pleased that our audience members care to make up for that which had been neglected or forgotten. We believe that a true Muslim never neglects his/her salaah, they just forget to perform it. Evidence suggests that make up prayers are part of Sharia and a responsibility for the one who has lapsed in it. Being neglectful of prayers is a sin. Make up (qadha) is essential. It is not a burden and can be avoided if one performs all their prayers as required by Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) states:
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Allah does not impose upon any soul a duty greater than it can bear (or beyond its capability
(2:286)
Regarding Salah, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) in the Quran states: Establish salaah:
????? ????????? ?????????? ??????????? ??????????????? ???????????? ??????????? ??????????? ??????????? ?????? ?????????? ????? ????????? ????? ?????? ?????????? ????? ???? ??????????? ?
Verily those who believe (in Allah and Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)), and do actions of righteousness, and establish regular prayers (regular refers to every prayer performed at its prescribed time) and give the poor their due, their rewards is with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
(2:227)
Now should a person forget to perform his/her Salah, or has intentionally neglected it, the following Hadith makes clear that a makeup is crucial.
Sayyidina Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (radiAllahu anh) reports that we proceeded with the Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) on the occasion of al-Hudaybiyyah. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) mentioned: “Who will keep guard for us?” Bilal (radiAllahu anh) said: “I (will keep watch).” They (all) overslept till the sun arose. (In other words they all missed their salaah) Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) awoke and said: “Do as you used to do” (i.e. offer a makeup prayer for the missed prayer and do it as usual*.) Then we (the sahaba) did accordingly. He (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Anyone who oversleeps or forgets (prayer) should do similarly.”
(Abu dawood Book 2, Number 447)
*In other words, if you missed a salaah comprising of two rakaats, than make up the two rakaats salaah in the manner of the original salah, etc.
This Hadith illustrates to humanity that if a prayer is forgotten/missed/neglected, then via the example of Rasullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) we learn that it must be made up. It is not that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) was negligent in his prayers; it was Allah’s (subhanahu wa ta’ala) way to have him (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) miss a prayer for our benefit, so as to learn the system of making up prayers.
Thus, make up (known as qada) prayers does exist in Islam. A similar Hadith is also found in Imaam Malik’s Muata as well:
Sayidinah Yahya (radiAllahu anh) related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Said ibn al-Musayyab that the Rasool of Allah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), traveled by night on the way back from Khaybar. Towards the end of the night he (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) stopped for a rest and told Bilal (radiAllahu anh) to stay awake to keep watch for the subh (fajr) prayer. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his companions (over) slept. Bilal (radiAllahu anh) stayed on guard as long as was decreed (possible) for him and then he leaned against his riding camel facing the direction of the dawn and sleep overcame him and neither he nor the Messenger of Allah nor any of the party woke up until the sun’s rays had struck them. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was alarmed. Bilal (radiAllahu anh) excused himself, saying, “Messenger of Allah! The One who took you (made you (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) over sleep) was the (same) One who took myself (made me over sleep).” The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered the party to move on and so they roused their mounts and rode on a short distance. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered Bilal (radiAllahu anh) to give the iqama and then led them in the subh prayer (thereby proving make-up prayer does exist) When he (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) had finished he (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Anyone who forgets a prayer should pray it when he remembers (the missed salah). Allah the Blessed and Exalted says in His book, “Establish the prayer to remember Me.'”
Mutta, imaam Malik
Method of make up:
If you missed dhuhr salaah on Monday, then on the dhuhr time of Tuesday, read the salaah of Tuesday as well as the missed salaah of Monday. This would apply even for a person that may have missed many years of prayers. All they must do is that with each salaah, preferably before they perform the salaah of the given day’s prayer, they do a make up for the missed prayers first. They can read as many missed prayers during this time.
A second option would be for you to read your missed salaah as soon as possible.
Of course, in both cases, you must take into consideration the makrooh and forbidden times to read salaah. For example, you would not read during sunrise, etc.
May Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) keep us all steadfast on our prayers; keep us firm on all our obligations towards Him. Ameen.
Allah certainly knows best.
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