How do I make up prayers I missed?
The question as asked, details removedI missed many prayers in the past and don't know the exact number. Do I have to make them up, and how?More
This is a sample answer written to show how the site works. It follows the standard Hanafi books, but no mufti has reviewed or signed it yet, so it is not a fatwa. For a real answer, ask a question. Ask a mufti
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِكِ الْوَهَّابِ اَللّٰهُمَّ هِدَايَةَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
1Short answer
Yes. Every missed fard prayer and witr must be made up; sunnah prayers are not made up. If you don't know the number, estimate on the high side until you are fairly sure nothing is left, and repent for having missed them.
2Detailed answer
Making up (qada) missed prayers is fard, whether they were missed through forgetfulness, sleep or neglect. Only the fard prayers and the witr are made up, not the sunnah.
If you don't know how many you missed:
- Estimate the number from the age you reached puberty, erring on the side of more, until you are fairly sure that none remain.
- For each one, intend "the first Fajr (or Zuhr, etc.) that I owe", so that each prayer settles the oldest one owed.
- Pray as many as you can each day, for example one set with every current prayer, at any time except the three forbidden times (sunrise, midday and sunset).
Making up the prayers does not remove the sin of missing them deliberately; that needs sincere repentance as well.
3Evidence and sources
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of the Times of Prayer
- Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques
- Bahar-e-Shariat, chapter on qada prayers
Arabic texts, translations and how the ruling was derived
من نسي صلاة فليصل إذا ذكرها لا كفارة لها إلا ذلك
Meaning: Whoever forgets a prayer, let him pray it when he remembers; there is no expiation for it except that.
If someone who forgot must make up the prayer, someone who missed it without excuse has an even greater obligation. The fuqaha also count the witr, which is wajib, among the prayers to be made up.
وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُهُ أَعْلَمُ صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ