Question

I have missed many salaah in the past and have been trying to pray my qaza namaz’s since the last 5 years. i do try and keep record but sometimes i become lazy and lose record of how much i have prayed, how can i finish off my qaza namaz?

Answer

It should be borne in mind that it is obligatory upon every Muslim to perform the missed number of Fardh and Waajib (Witr) prayers (Salaat) since the time one has reached the age of puberty. This has been proven from many narrations. A few are as follows:

Anas ibn Maalik (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) mentions:“Whoever forgets to pray a Salaah, it is obligatory upon him/her that he/she pray that Salaah when he remembers. There is no other way that this can be made up.” (Bukhari, Hadith 597)

Likewise the messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) mentions:

“Whenever one of you misses a Salaah due to sleeping or due to negligence, it is obligatory upon him/her that he/she pray the Salaah when he remembers it because Allah has metioned, “Perform Salah when you remember me”(Muslim,Hadith 1569)

Making Intention for missed prayers (Qadha Salaat)

When making intention for missed prayers (Qadha Salaat), it is necessary to make intention for the specific Salaah missed.

If one has missed a number of prayers (Salaat), then one should make intention as follows: “I am performing such and such day’s Fajr Salaah (for example)”

If one has missed so many prayers (Salaat) that one does not remember the exact number of prayers (Salaats) missed then the intention should be made as follows: “oh Allah! From those prayers (Salaat) I have missed, I am performing the first Fajr Salaah (for example)”. Likewise a person should try to roughly remember how many prayers (Salaat) he/she has to make up for and make up for them as soon as possible until content that all missed prayers (Salaat) are performed.

When should a person make up for his/her missed prayers?

No one knows when death will come upon him/her, and to make up for missed prayers (Salaat) is a duty that has to be discharged before death. Therefore, it is best to make up for the missed prayers (Salaat) as soon as possible, whenever possible. However to read a lot of prayers (Salaat) in one go can be difficult, especially when a person has other commitments like work etc. Therefore, one easy way of performing missed prayers (Qadha Salaat) is that after each Salaah, perform one missed Salaah of the same kind. For example, after performing the Asr Salaah of today, perform one Asr  missed (Qadhaa) Salaah of just 4 Rakaats (keeping in mind the method of making intention as mentioned above).

Remember, there is no Qadhaa for the Sunnah prayers (Salaat) and Nafl prayers (Salaat) missed. Furthermore, prayer (Salaah) is forbidden at the time when the sun is at its zenith, sunset and sunrise.

Additionally, you should keep a written a record in your will of your missed prayers (Qadha Salaat) that have not yet been performed (and any other religious liabilities, such as unpaid Zakat, etc.)

And Allah, the Almighty, knows best

Mufti Sufyan Ibn Yakub Khapi

www.myislaam.com