Qadā’ of Missed Prayers and the Ruling on Making Up Sunnah Prayers – Five Scholarly Opinions

Source: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 520

❖ Question​

How many missed prayers (qaḍā’) must be performed? Is there also qaḍā’ for sunnah prayers?

✿ Answer​

Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!


It should be noted that making up missed sunnah prayers is legislated, permissible, and even virtuous.

Evidence from Ḥadīth​

From Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:


قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:
«مَنْ لَمْ يُصَلِّ رَكْعَتَيِ الفَجْرِ فَلْيُصَلِّهِمَا بَعْدَ مَا تَطْلُعُ الشَّمْسُ»
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī – graded gharīb; also in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān, al-Mustadrak al-Ḥākim)


Translation:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever does not pray the two rakʿāt of Fajr (sunnah), let him pray them after the sun has risen.”

Imām al-Shawkānī’s Clarification​

He explained:
This ḥadīth does not explicitly restrict making them up only after sunrise. The command is general: if someone misses the sunnahs of Fajr before or after the farḍ, and even if he cannot pray them until after sunrise, then he should pray them at that time. (Nayl al-Awṭār, vol. 3, p. 29)

Ibn Ḥazm’s Position​

He states:
This ḥadīth proves the legislation of making up missed regular sunnah prayers (rawātib) — whether missed due to an excuse or without excuse. (al-Muḥallā, vol. 2, p. 235)

Five Scholarly Opinions​

① Qaḍā’ of Sunnah Rawātib is Recommended (Mustaḥabb)

• Whether missed by excuse or without excuse.
• Evidence: the Prophet ﷺ commanded making them up without limiting to an excuse.
• Supported by: Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنه, ʿAṭāʾ, Ṭāwūs, al-Qāsim ibn Muḥammad; and from the imams: Ibn Jurayj, al-Awzāʿī, Imām al-Shāfiʿī (new opinion), Imām Aḥmad, Isḥāq, Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan, and al-Muzanī.

② No Qaḍā’ for Sunnah Rawātib

• Position of: Imām Abū Ḥanīfah, Imām Mālik, Imām Abū Yūsuf (in the well-known narration), Imām al-Shāfiʿī (old opinion), and one narration from Imām Aḥmad.
• Imām Mālik’s well-known opinion: only the sunnah of Fajr should be made up after sunrise.

③ Only Certain Prayers Have Qaḍā’

• e.g., Eid prayer, Duḥā prayer.
• No qaḍā’ for rawātib.
• One view from Imām al-Shāfiʿī.

④ Both Options Valid (Takhyīr)

• Making up is allowed, but not obligatory.
• Reported from Imām Mālik and the Ḥanafī jurists.

⑤ Qaḍā’ Only if Missed by Excuse or Forgetfulness

• If left intentionally, no qaḍā’.
• Position of Ibn Ḥazm, based on the general ḥadīth: “Whoever forgets a prayer, let him pray it when he remembers.”
• However, the majority of scholars state that if missed intentionally, making them up is even more necessary.

(Nayl al-Awṭār, vol. 3, p. 30; al-Muḥallā, vol. 2, p. 235)

Conclusion​

• Sunnah Rawātib have qaḍā’, whether missed by excuse or not.
• The first opinion (qaḍā’ is mustaḥabb) is the view of the majority and the stronger position.
• Deliberately abandoning sunnah makes the obligation of qaḍā’ even stronger according to the majority.

ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب