Written by: Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani (May Allah preserve him)
Question:
If a person deliberately misses a prayer and later repents, is it required for him to make up the missed prayers?
Answer:
If a person deliberately neglects their prayers, and later Allah grants them the ability to repent, they are not required to make up the missed prayers. This is because a person who intentionally abandons the prayer exits the fold of Islam, and a person who has exited Islam does not make up for actions they missed during their state of disbelief.
It is narrated from Jabir bin Abdullah (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"The distinction between a man and disbelief and polytheism is the abandonment of prayer."
[Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith: Chapter on the Definition of Disbelief]
The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) also said:
"The covenant that exists between us and them (the disbelievers) is prayer; whoever abandons it has become a disbeliever."
[Sunan al-Nasa'i, Book of Prayer: Chapter on the Ruling of the One Who Abandons Prayer]
Additionally, there is another well-known Hadith in which the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"Whoever deliberately abandons prayer has committed disbelief openly."
[Majma' al-Bahrain, Book of Prayer: Chapter on Deliberately Abandoning Prayer]
These Hadiths indicate that a person who deliberately abandons prayer exits the fold of Islam, and once a person exits Islam, there is no requirement to make up for what they missed during their state of disbelief. When the apostates (those who left Islam) returned to Islam, the companions of the Prophet (رضي الله عنهم) did not instruct them to make up for the acts they abandoned during their apostasy.
However, some scholars who do not consider a person who abandons prayer as a disbeliever maintain that such a person should make up for their missed prayers, though there is no solid evidence to support this view.
On the other hand, if a person misses a prayer due to negligence or laziness, they should make it up as soon as they remember.
Question:
If a person deliberately misses a prayer and later repents, is it required for him to make up the missed prayers?
Answer:
If a person deliberately neglects their prayers, and later Allah grants them the ability to repent, they are not required to make up the missed prayers. This is because a person who intentionally abandons the prayer exits the fold of Islam, and a person who has exited Islam does not make up for actions they missed during their state of disbelief.
It is narrated from Jabir bin Abdullah (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"The distinction between a man and disbelief and polytheism is the abandonment of prayer."
[Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith: Chapter on the Definition of Disbelief]
The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) also said:
"The covenant that exists between us and them (the disbelievers) is prayer; whoever abandons it has become a disbeliever."
[Sunan al-Nasa'i, Book of Prayer: Chapter on the Ruling of the One Who Abandons Prayer]
Additionally, there is another well-known Hadith in which the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"Whoever deliberately abandons prayer has committed disbelief openly."
[Majma' al-Bahrain, Book of Prayer: Chapter on Deliberately Abandoning Prayer]
These Hadiths indicate that a person who deliberately abandons prayer exits the fold of Islam, and once a person exits Islam, there is no requirement to make up for what they missed during their state of disbelief. When the apostates (those who left Islam) returned to Islam, the companions of the Prophet (رضي الله عنهم) did not instruct them to make up for the acts they abandoned during their apostasy.
However, some scholars who do not consider a person who abandons prayer as a disbeliever maintain that such a person should make up for their missed prayers, though there is no solid evidence to support this view.
On the other hand, if a person misses a prayer due to negligence or laziness, they should make it up as soon as they remember.
