What Must a Person Do If They Missed Some Prayers During a Period of Time?

Question: What should one do if they missed prayers for a period of time. Not all prayers, Not all prayers, but for example, on a certain day he may have missed Ṣalāt al-‘Aṣr and al-Maghrib, while praying the rest of the prayers. This occurred when he was young and did not realize the seriousness of the sin. As for now, he consistently preserves all of his prayers and is careful regarding them. He also cannot determine the number of prayers he missed, nor exactly which prayers they were. Rather, he only wishes to clear himself of liability and have a clean record with Allah.

Summary:

Whoever missed prayers in the past and has now repented: He must sincerely repent. He must make up the missed prayers according to his ability. And if he does not know the number, he should estimate and strive until he predominantly believes that he has fulfilled what he owes.

Answer:

In the name of Allah, all praise is due to Allah, and may Peace and Blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)

First: The Obligation of Repentance

Allah the Most High said:

From the Qur'an:

  • [Sūrat al-Nūr: 31]
    “And repent to Allah all together, O believers.”

From the Sunnah:

  • Sunan Ibn Majah 4250It was narrated from Abu ‘Ubadah bin ‘Abdullah, that his father said:
    “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘The one who repents from sin is like one who did not sin.’”

    So the first thing that is obligatory is: Regret over what has passed. Resolving not to return to it. Preserving the prayers going forward (and this has occurred from you, and all praise is due to Allah).

Second: The Obligation of Making Up Missed Prayers

From the Sunnah:

  • Sahih Muslim 684c.Qatada narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
    He who forgets the prayer, or he slept (and it was omitted), its expiation is (only) that he should observe it when he remembers it.

    The scholars said: If making up the prayer is obligatory upon the one who forgot or slept, then the negligent person is even more deserving of making it up.

From the Scholars:

  • And Ibn Qudāmah said:
    “Whoever abandons the prayer, making it up becomes obligatory upon him.”

Third: If He Does Not Know the Number This is your situation, and the solution according to the people of knowledge is: Estimate through personal striving. Look at the period during which you were negligent. Estimate the number of prayers you predominantly believe you missed. Then continue making them up until you predominantly believe your liability has been cleared. They said: “Certainty is not removed except by certainty or predominant assumption.” Fourth: How to Make Them Up Practically So that it does not become overly difficult upon you: Pray one missed prayer along with each current obligatory prayer. Or designate a daily time for yourself (for example: making up 2–5 prayers). You may keep the order (Ẓuhr with Ẓuhr, etc.), and if you are unable, then maintaining order is not required when they are many. Fifth: The Issue of Young Age and Not Realizing the Seriousness of the Sin If you had already reached puberty (through a wet dream or other signs of puberty), then prayer was obligatory upon you. However, your ignorance regarding the seriousness of the sin lessens the sin itself, though it does not remove the obligation of making up the prayers. Sixth: Another Opinion (For Benefit) Some of the people of knowledge, such as Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله, held the view: That whoever abandoned prayer out of negligence and then repented does not make up the prayers, but rather increases in voluntary prayers and repentance. However: The majority of scholars and this is the safer opinion hold that making up the prayers is obligatory. And it is the more freeing of one’s liability. You must sincerely repent (and Allah has granted you success in that). Then estimate the missed prayers. Then make them up gradually until you predominantly believe that you have cleared yourself of liability. Along with continuing to preserve the prayers now and increasing in voluntary acts of worship, it is hoped that you will attain complete forgiveness and acceptance, by the permission of Allah.

And Allah knows best.

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