Question:
How can the Muslim make up for the Salah (Prayer) he missed, such as the Fajr (Dawn) Prayer? If it is Jahri Salah (Prayer recited audibly), should he perform it as so? Guide us, may Allah bless you!
Answer:
If Missed out of Forgetfulness
If one misses obligatory Salah, he must hasten to perform it as it should be. If it is Jahri, he should perform it as Jahri such as the Fajr (Dawn), ‘Isha’ (Night) and Maghrib (Sunset) Prayers. If it is Sirri Salah (Prayer with inaudible recitation), he should perform it as Sirri, such as the Zhuhr (Noon) and ‘Asr (Afternoon) Prayers.
He should perform the Salah he missed as he would at its due time. This is if it was missed out of forgetfulness, sleep, or sickness thinking that it could not be performed while being ill so it is delayed it out of ignorance; hence, he should perform it as due.
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) stated:
Whoever forgets a Salah or sleeps and misses it, the only expiation is to offer it when one remembers it.[1. Agreed upon by Imams Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
It is authentically reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) in one of their travels overslept at the time of Fajr and nothing waked them except the heat of the sun. When they woke up, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) ordered Bilal to pronounce Adhan (call to Prayer) and they performed it (Fajr). as he did when offering it at its due time.
If Abandoned Salah Intentionally and then repents
However, if one abandons it on purpose, then Allah guides him and he repents, he should not make up for it, for abandoning Salah intentionally is a major Kufr. Therefore, if he repents, he should not make up for it, for repentance wipes out the past. If a person repents sincerely for having abandoned Salah, Allah will wipe out his sins and he does not need to make up for missed Salah according to the most preponderant of the scholars’ opinions.
It is obligatory to make up for missed Salah, if one misses it out of forgetfulness or ignorance that one should perform it even if one is ill and delays it till one recovers, or if he misses it for being asleep.
If Abandoned Salah Intentionally and Doesn’t repent
The one who abandons it intentionally – may Allah protect us against this – thereby commits Kufr. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) stated:
The covenant that stands between us and them is Salah; whoever neglects commits Kufr.”[2. Related by Al-Imam Ahmad and Ahl-ul-Sunan (authors of Hadith compilations classified by jurisprudential themes) with a Sahih (authentic) Sanad (chain of narrators)].
He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) also said:
Between a man and Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and Kufr there stands his giving up Salah.[3. Related by Muslim in his Sahih Book of Hadith, on the authority of Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (رضي الله عنه)]
There are so many Hadith to the same effect.
The conclusion is that
– if one abandons Salah intentionally, neglecting or denying it one commits Kufr; if one denies it is obligatory, one is Kafir (disbeliever/non-Muslim according to Ijma’ (consensus of scholars). The scholars agreed unanimously that he who denies that Salah is obligatory commits major Kufr, may Allah grant us safety!
– However, if one abandons it out of negligence or laziness, one resembles the hypocrites, and this is major Kufr according to the most preponderant view of scholars.
Such a person should repent sincerely to Allah by regretting what he has done, giving it up, determining not to repeat it, glorifying Allah, hoping to be rewarded by Him and fearing His Punishment and he need not make up for the missed Salah. This is because the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) did not order the Murtad (apostate) who went out the fold of Islam then repented to make up for the Salah he abandoned. Similarly, his Sahabah at the time of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, and after him, did not order the Murtads to make up for the Salah they missed.
In addition, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: Islam wipes out all that has gone before it (previous misdeeds). Tawbah (repentance to Allah) also wipes out all that has gone before it. He (صلى الله عليه وسلم also said: He who repents of his sins is like one who did not commit a sin. May Allah grant us success!
Source: [Majmoo ’al-Fataawa Ibn Baaz, Vol. 10; pp. 309 – 311]
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