❖ The Ruling on Making Up Missed Prayers (Qaḍāʼ al-Ṣalāh) ❖
✍ By: Imran Ayub Lahori
While there is scholarly disagreement on this issue, the stronger and more substantiated opinion is that qaḍāʼ (making up missed prayers) is not obligatory for one who deliberately abandons the prayer. The supporting evidences are as follows:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Between a man and disbelief is the abandonment of prayer."
[Muslim: 82; Abū Dāwūd: 4678; Tirmidhī: 2618; Ibn Mājah: 1078; Dārimī: 1/280; Aḥmad: 3/370]
Hence, the one who deliberately abandons prayer exits the fold of Islam and must repent and re-enter Islam — not offer qaḍāʼ.
Allah says:
"Establish prayer and do not be among the polytheists."
[Al-Rūm: 31]
And in another verse:
"Had they committed shirk, all their deeds would have been rendered null."
[Al-Anʿām: 88]
Since the deeds of a polytheist are void, even qaḍāʼ prayers are not accepted from someone who had knowingly abandoned them in disbelief.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"I have been commanded to fight people until they testify that there is no god but Allah and establish the prayer..."
[Bukhārī: 25; Muslim: 22; Abū Dāwūd: 1556; Tirmidhī: 2607; Nasāʾī: 5/14; Aḥmad: 2/423]
Thus, such a person is only given time to repent and begin praying. If not, and if able, he is liable to execution — not to make up prayers.
The Companions unanimously agreed on fighting those who denied Zakāh, and prayer holds an even higher status in Islam than Zakāh.
[Mawsūʿat al-Ijmāʿ by Saʿdī Abū Ḥabīb: 1/465; Al-Mughnī: 2/476; Al-Majmūʿ: 5/304]
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Whoever forgets a prayer should pray it when he remembers it — there is no expiation other than this."
This implies that only the forgetful must make up the prayer, not the one who deliberately neglects it.
The majority of scholars (jumhūr) maintain that even one who deliberately leaves prayer must offer qaḍāʼ. Their only textual evidence is the ḥadīth:
"Allah's debt is more deserving of being fulfilled."
[Bukhārī: 1953; Muslim: 1335; Abū Dāwūd: 1809; Nasāʾī: 2635; Tirmidhī: 928; Ibn Mājah: 2909]
The stronger position is that no qaḍāʼ is obligatory for deliberate neglect, because:
However, if someone does perform them based on the general principle of fulfilling Allah’s rights, there is reward, for all acts of worship bring closeness to Allah.
In cases of sleep or forgetfulness, the act is not called "qaḍāʼ" but rather "performing when remembered", which is the actual time for prayer.
"Whoever forgets a prayer should offer it when he remembers; there is no expiation except this."
[Bukhārī: 597; Muslim: 683; Tirmidhī: 178; Ibn Mājah: 696]
"When you remember it, offer it, for Allah has said: Establish prayer for My remembrance."
[Muslim: 680; Abū Dāwūd: 435]
This implies that this is its actual time of performance, not its qaḍāʼ.
[Al-Sayl al-Jarrār: 1/289; Al-Rawḍah al-Nadiyyah: 1/337]
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"The pen has been lifted from three people — including the sleeper until he awakens."
[Abū Dāwūd: 4401]
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Negligence is not in sleep but in wakefulness. So when one of you forgets or oversleeps a prayer, he should pray it when he remembers."
And in another narration:
"Negligence is for one who delays until the time for the next prayer begins."
[Muslim: 681; Abū Dāwūd: 437, 441; Tirmidhī: 177; Nasāʾī: 1/294]
All such narrations clearly instruct to pray immediately upon remembering.
In battle, travel, or severe illness, if prayer is missed, it should be performed as soon as the excuse is lifted, as shown by:
The Prophet ﷺ offering multiple missed prayers during the Battle of the Trench when opportunity arose.
[Ṣaḥīḥ Nasāʾī: 638; 661]
If it is realized after the time has passed that today was ʿEid, the prayer is postponed to the next day, not offered immediately.
After missing the sighting of the Shawwāl moon and fasting on the day of ʿEid, some people testified later in the day. The Prophet ﷺ commanded them to break their fast and offer ʿEid prayer the following day.
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd: 1026; Aḥmad: 9/265; Ibn Mājah: 1653; Ibn Ḥibbān: 3456]
Authenticated by:
Imams Ibn Ḥibbān, Ibn Munḏir, Ibn Sakan, Ibn Ḥazm, and al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar.
✍ By: Imran Ayub Lahori
Introduction: Is Qaḍāʼ Compulsory for Missed Prayers?
While there is scholarly disagreement on this issue, the stronger and more substantiated opinion is that qaḍāʼ (making up missed prayers) is not obligatory for one who deliberately abandons the prayer. The supporting evidences are as follows:
➊ Deliberate Neglect of Prayer Equals Apostasy
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Between a man and disbelief is the abandonment of prayer."
[Muslim: 82; Abū Dāwūd: 4678; Tirmidhī: 2618; Ibn Mājah: 1078; Dārimī: 1/280; Aḥmad: 3/370]
Hence, the one who deliberately abandons prayer exits the fold of Islam and must repent and re-enter Islam — not offer qaḍāʼ.
➋ The Qur'an Declares the Abandoner a Polytheist
Allah says:
"Establish prayer and do not be among the polytheists."
[Al-Rūm: 31]
And in another verse:
"Had they committed shirk, all their deeds would have been rendered null."
[Al-Anʿām: 88]
Since the deeds of a polytheist are void, even qaḍāʼ prayers are not accepted from someone who had knowingly abandoned them in disbelief.
➌ The Death Penalty for Willful Neglect of Prayer
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"I have been commanded to fight people until they testify that there is no god but Allah and establish the prayer..."
[Bukhārī: 25; Muslim: 22; Abū Dāwūd: 1556; Tirmidhī: 2607; Nasāʾī: 5/14; Aḥmad: 2/423]
Thus, such a person is only given time to repent and begin praying. If not, and if able, he is liable to execution — not to make up prayers.
➍ Ijmāʿ (Consensus) on Fighting the Denier of Zakāh
The Companions unanimously agreed on fighting those who denied Zakāh, and prayer holds an even higher status in Islam than Zakāh.
[Mawsūʿat al-Ijmāʿ by Saʿdī Abū Ḥabīb: 1/465; Al-Mughnī: 2/476; Al-Majmūʿ: 5/304]
➎ The Hadith Uses the Condition “If Forgotten” (من نسي)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Whoever forgets a prayer should pray it when he remembers it — there is no expiation other than this."
This implies that only the forgetful must make up the prayer, not the one who deliberately neglects it.
Opinions of Classical Scholars
- Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله):
➤ No qaḍāʼ is required for one who deliberately leaves prayer.
[Al-Fatāwā al-Kubrā: 2/285] - Ibn Ḥazm (رحمه الله):
➤ Such a person can never make up the prayer. Instead, he should repent, do good deeds, and offer supererogatory prayers to increase his scale on the Day of Judgment.
[Al-Muḥallā: 2/235] - Ṣiddīq Ḥasan Khān (رحمه الله):
➤ Agreed with the above view.
[Al-Rawḍah al-Nadiyyah: 1/336]
Opposing View (Majority Scholars)
The majority of scholars (jumhūr) maintain that even one who deliberately leaves prayer must offer qaḍāʼ. Their only textual evidence is the ḥadīth:
"Allah's debt is more deserving of being fulfilled."
[Bukhārī: 1953; Muslim: 1335; Abū Dāwūd: 1809; Nasāʾī: 2635; Tirmidhī: 928; Ibn Mājah: 2909]
- Shawkānī (رحمه الله):
➤ No evidence proving qaḍāʼ for deliberate abandonment, but the ḥadīth shows prayer is a debt that should be paid.
[Al-Sayl al-Jarrār: 1/290] - Al-Albānī (رحمه الله):
➤ This ḥadīth is sufficient proof for the obligation of qaḍāʼ.
[Taʿlīqāt al-Raḍiyyah: 1/356]
Preferred (Rājih) View
The stronger position is that no qaḍāʼ is obligatory for deliberate neglect, because:
- The hadith “Allah's debt...” is general and linked to a specific case.
- In acts of worship, specific acts require specific evidence.
- There is no such evidence for qaḍāʼ after deliberate neglect.
→ Hence, the safer stance is non-compulsion.
However, if someone does perform them based on the general principle of fulfilling Allah’s rights, there is reward, for all acts of worship bring closeness to Allah.
Missed Prayers Due to Valid Excuse: This Is Not Qaḍāʼ
In cases of sleep or forgetfulness, the act is not called "qaḍāʼ" but rather "performing when remembered", which is the actual time for prayer.
Evidences from Hadith
- Anas (رضي الله عنه):
"Whoever forgets a prayer should offer it when he remembers; there is no expiation except this."
[Bukhārī: 597; Muslim: 683; Tirmidhī: 178; Ibn Mājah: 696]
- Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
"When you remember it, offer it, for Allah has said: Establish prayer for My remembrance."
[Muslim: 680; Abū Dāwūd: 435]
This implies that this is its actual time of performance, not its qaḍāʼ.
[Al-Sayl al-Jarrār: 1/289; Al-Rawḍah al-Nadiyyah: 1/337]
Sleep is Not Negligence
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"The pen has been lifted from three people — including the sleeper until he awakens."
[Abū Dāwūd: 4401]
The Incident of Oversleeping Fajr
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Negligence is not in sleep but in wakefulness. So when one of you forgets or oversleeps a prayer, he should pray it when he remembers."
And in another narration:
"Negligence is for one who delays until the time for the next prayer begins."
[Muslim: 681; Abū Dāwūd: 437, 441; Tirmidhī: 177; Nasāʾī: 1/294]
All such narrations clearly instruct to pray immediately upon remembering.
Missed Prayers Due to Valid Excuses (e.g. Battle)
In battle, travel, or severe illness, if prayer is missed, it should be performed as soon as the excuse is lifted, as shown by:
The Prophet ﷺ offering multiple missed prayers during the Battle of the Trench when opportunity arose.
[Ṣaḥīḥ Nasāʾī: 638; 661]
Missed ʿEid Prayer Is Not Offered the Same Day
If it is realized after the time has passed that today was ʿEid, the prayer is postponed to the next day, not offered immediately.
- Narration from Abū ʿUmayr ibn Anas (رضي الله عنه):
After missing the sighting of the Shawwāl moon and fasting on the day of ʿEid, some people testified later in the day. The Prophet ﷺ commanded them to break their fast and offer ʿEid prayer the following day.
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd: 1026; Aḥmad: 9/265; Ibn Mājah: 1653; Ibn Ḥibbān: 3456]
Authenticated by:
Imams Ibn Ḥibbān, Ibn Munḏir, Ibn Sakan, Ibn Ḥazm, and al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar.
Conclusion
- Deliberately neglecting prayer renders one outside Islam, and qaḍāʼ is not required — only repentance, reentry into Islam, and abundant good deeds.
- Qaḍāʼ is obligatory only in case of valid excuses such as forgetfulness, sleep, or emergencies.
- Prayers should be performed as soon as remembered — this is their true time, not "delayed performance."
- ʿEid prayer, if missed due to error in moon sighting, is offered the next day.
