Taken from: Fatawa Arkan al-Islam
Question:
If one or more obligatory prayers are missed due to sleep or forgetfulness, how should they be made up?
Should the missed prayers be offered first and then the current prayer, or vice versa?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
If an obligatory prayer is missed due to sleep or forgetfulness:
❀ The missed prayer must be offered first, then the current prayer.
❀ Further delay is not allowed.
Common Misconceptions Among People
The common belief that a missed prayer should be offered the next day at the same prayer time (e.g., missed Fajr is prayed with Fajr next day) is incorrect and contradicts both the Prophetic sayings and actions.
Prophetic Saying (Qawli Sunnah):
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“مَنْ نَام عنَ صَلَاۃً اَو نسیھاْْ فلیُصَلِّیَہَا إِذَا ذَکَرَہَا“
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Mawāqīt, ḥadīth: 597; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Masājid, ḥadīth: 684)
Meaning:
“Whoever sleeps through a prayer or forgets it, let him pray it as soon as he remembers.”
— There is no mention of waiting until the same time the next day; rather, the command is to pray immediately upon remembering.
Prophetic Practice (Fiʿlī Sunnah):
During the Battle of the Trench, when some prayers were missed, the Prophet ﷺ offered the missed prayers first before the current one.
This proves that missed prayers take priority.
If One Prays the Current Prayer First by Mistake:
❀ If someone prays the current prayer first out of ignorance or forgetfulness, that prayer is valid, as forgetfulness and lack of knowledge are legitimate excuses.
Three Types of Qada Prayers
1. Qada When Excuse Ends
Prayers missed due to a valid excuse (sleep, forgetfulness) are prayed as soon as possible after the excuse ends.
Includes:
- All five obligatory prayers.
- Witr.
- Similar to them, the Sunnah Mu’akkadah prayers.
2. Substituting One Prayer with Another
Example: Jumu‘ah Prayer
- If a person arrives when the imam has raised his head from the second rakʿah’s sajdah:
➤ He has missed Jumu‘ah.
➤ He must pray Ẓuhr instead.
Clarifications:
- If one joins the imam in the rukūʿ of the second rakʿah, he has caught Jumu‘ah and will only add one rakʿah after salam.
- The Prophet ﷺ said:
“مَنْ اَدْرَکَ رَکْعَۃً مِنَ الصَّلَاۃِ فَقَدْ اَدْرَکَ الصَّلَاۃَ“
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Mawāqīt, ḥadīth: 580; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Masājid, ḥadīth: 607)
Meaning:
“Whoever catches one rakʿah of the prayer has caught that prayer.”
- Those joining after the imam’s second sajdah are not part of Jumu‘ah and must pray Ẓuhr.
Women and the Sick:
- Jumu‘ah is not obligatory on them.
- They must pray Ẓuhr instead.
- If they pray only two rakʿahs thinking it is Jumu‘ah, their prayer is invalid.
3. Prayers Made Up the Next Day at a Similar Time
Example: ʿEid Prayer
- If the ʿEid prayer time passes (after zawāl), it can be made up the next day at a similar time.
- This has been allowed by scholars.
Summary of Qada Prayer Types:
First Type:
Prayers made up immediately after excuse ends.
◈ Example: Five daily prayers, Witr, Sunnah Mu’akkadah.
Second Type:
Replacing with another prayer.
◈ Example: Missed Jumu‘ah replaced with Ẓuhr.
Third Type:
Made up next day at a similar time.
◈ Example: ʿEid prayer.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
