Making up for missed Salah due to sleep or other reasons


Question:

Allah has guided me to obey Him. I offer the daily prayers on time except for Fajr (Dawn). Sometimes I get up late after sunrise. Is my Fajr Prayer offered at that time valid? How can a Muslim make up for the Salah they missed like ‘Asr (Afternoon) Prayer? Will they make up for it at the time of the Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer or delay it until the next `Asr Prayer?

Answer:

The Salah you miss due to sleep or forgetfulness should be offered the moment you wake up or the moment you remember. It does not matter if you wake up or remember it after sunrise. This is based on the Hadith in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Anyone who misses a Salah because of sleep or forgetfulness should offer it when they remember it; there is no Kaffarah (expiation) for it except this.” 1

As for the Salah you intentionally abandoned while believing in its obligation, according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions such an act constitutes major Kufr (disbelief that takes the Muslim out of Islam).

As for the Salah you intentionally abandoned while believing in its obligation, according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions such an act constitutes major Kufr (disbelief that takes the Muslim out of Islam).

You should not make up for it, but you have to repent to Allah, seek His Forgiveness, and regret abandoning it. You should observe the Five Obligatory Daily Prayers regularly. This is based on the Hadith in which the Prophet said: “The covenant that distinguishes between us and them (the disbelievers) is Salah. Anyone who abandons it has committed Kufr (disbelief).” 2

Another Hadith states: “Between a servant and Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and Kufr is abandoning Salah.” 3

May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.

  1. Related by Ahmad, Al-Musnad, vol. 3, pp. 100, 243, 267, and 282, from the Hadith narrated by Anas; Al-Bukhari, Fath-ul-Bary, no. 597; Muslim, Sahih, no. 684; Imam Ahmad, vol. 5, p. 22; Abu Dawud, no. 442, verified by Ezzat ‘Ubayd Al-Da’as; Al-Tirmidhy, no. 187, ed. Dar Al-Fikr; and Al-Nasa’i, vol. 1, pp. 236-237, ed. Al-Halabi. ↩

  2. Related by Ahmad, Al-Musnad, vol. 5, p. 346; Al-Tirmidhy, Book on general issues, no. 2623, he ranked this Hadith as Hasan Sahih Gharib; Al-Nasa’i, Al-Mujtaba, vol. 1, p. 231; Ibn Majah, Al-Sunan, no. 1065; Ibn Abu Shaybah, Book on faith, no. 46; Ibn Hibban, Sahih, vol. 3, p. 8; Muhammad ibn Nasr Al-Marwazy, Ta’zhim Qadr Al-Salah, nos. 894 and 895; Al-Daraqutny, Al-Sunan, vol. 2, p. 55; Al-Hakim, Al-Mustadrak, vol. 1, p. 7; Al-Dhahaby supported Al-Hakim*s view from the Hadith narrated by Buraydah. ↩

  3. Related by Ahmad, Al-Musnad, vol. 3, p. 370; Muslim, Sahih, no. 82; Abu Dawud, Al-Sunan, no. 4678; Al-Tirmidhy, Book on general issues, nos. 2621 and 2622; Ibn Majah, Al-Sunan, no. 1064; Ibn Abu Shaybah, Book on faith, no. 44; Ibn Hibban, Sahih, vol. 3, p. 8; and Muhammad ibn Nasr Al-Marwazy, Ta`zhim Qadr Al-Salah, nos. 886, 887, and 888, from the Hadith narrated by Jabir. ↩

  • 3 mins read
  • Source(s): Fatawa Al-Lajnah Ad-Da'imah no. 6196-1
  • Mufti(s): Shaykh Abdul-'Aziz ibn 'Abdullah ibn Baz , Shaykh Abdul-Razzaq al-Afify , Shaykh Abdullah ibn Qa'ud
  • Salah