🕌 Ruling on Making Up Missed Prayers Due to Menstruation: Scholarly Opinions 🕌
Source:
This article is derived from the book 500 Questions & Answers for Women, a compilation of Fatawa by the Scholars of the Haramain. Translated by Hafiz Abdullah Saleem.
❖ Question:
If a woman begins menstruating at 1:00 PM (during the time for Ẓuhr) and had not yet performed the prayer, is she obligated to make up that Ẓuhr prayer after becoming pure?
❖ Answer:
There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding this issue:
① First Opinion: No Qadā’ Required
- According to some scholars, the woman is not required to make up the missed prayer.
- Reason: She committed no sin or negligence.
- In Islamic law, it is permissible to delay the prayer until the end of its allotted time, so long as the prayer is performed before the time expires.
- Since her menstruation began before she could pray, and within the valid time frame, she is not held accountable for missing it.
② Second Opinion: Qadā’ Is Obligatory
- Other scholars hold that she must make up the missed Ẓuhr prayer.
- They refer to the general hadith of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم:
“من أدرك ركعة من الصلاة فقد أدرك الصلاة“
“Whoever catches one rak‘ah of the prayer has caught the prayer.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 555, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 607]
- According to this view, if she had enough time to pray even one rak‘ah before her menstruation began, she is obligated to make up the prayer.
✔️ Preferred View for Caution (احتیاط):
Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn رحمه الله recommends:
➡️ As a matter of caution, the woman should make up the missed prayer,
➡️ Because it is only one prayer, and making it up involves no hardship.
📚 (Fatwa by: Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-‘Uthaymīn رحمه الله)
❖ Summary:
| Opinion | Ruling |
|---|---|
| No Qadā’ | Permissible delay; no fault; not required to make it up |
| Qadā’ Required | Must make it up due to general hadith on catching a rakʿah |
| Cautious View (Iḥtiyāṭ) | Make up the prayer to be on the safe side |
