Ruling on the Missed Prayers

Ruling on the Missed Solāh

Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Salih ‘Uthaimin

“Verily, As-Solāh is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours” [An-Nisā’ 4:103]

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;

All the praise and thanks is due to Allāh, the Lord of al-`ālamīn. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam is His Messenger.

In regard to the missing Solāh, one of the following two scenarios must apply.

1. Misses A Solāh Unintentionally.

When you miss a Solāh unintentionally, for a legitimate syar`ie excuse, such as forgetting or sleeping, although you are basically very keen to perform the Solāh on time. In this case you are excused but you have to make it up as soon as you remember it.

The evidence for that is the hadith narrated in Sahih Muslim which tells how the Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) and his companions slept and missed Solāh Fajar, and the Sahābah began to ask one another, “What is the expiation (kafarah) for what we have done by neglecting the Solāh?”

The Messenger of Allah (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) said:

 “Sleeping does not mean that you are neglecting the Solāh. Rather neglecting the Solāh means not performing one Solāh until the time for the next Solāh comes. Whoever does that let him perform Solāh when he remembers it.”

[Sahih Muslim (681)]

This does not mean that a person should sleep deliberately when a Solāh is due, until he misses it, then use sleep as an excuse, or neglect a means that would help him to do the Solāh, and then take that as an excuse. Rather he must make use of all the means he can, as the Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) did in this case, when he appointed one person to stay awake and wake them up to perform Solāh, but that person was overcome by drowsiness, so he did not wake them up.

This is the case in which a person may be excused.

2. Missed A Solāh Deliberately.

2.1 - When you miss a Solāh deliberately. This is a major sin, and it is so serious that some of the scholars stated that the one who does this is a kafir.

[Majmu’ Fatawa wa Maqalat Samahat Al-Shaikh Ibn Baaz, 10/374].

The one who does this has to repent sincerely, (according to consensus of the scholars)

2.2 - With regard to making up the Solāh, there was a difference of opinion among the scholars as to whether or not it would be accepted from him if he makes it up afterwards.

a. Most of the scholars said that he should make it up and that his Solāh is valid, although he is a sinner (i.e., if he does not repent! – Allah knows best), [as Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen quoted them from Al-Sharh Al-Mumti’, 2/89.]

b. The view favored by Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taimiyyah is that it is not valid, and that it is not prescribed for him to make it up.

He said: “It is not prescribed for the one, who misses a Solāh deliberately to make it up, and the Solāh, if he makes it up, is not valid; rather he should do a lot of Voluntary (nawafil) Solāh. This is the view of a group among the Salaf.” [Al-[Ikhtiyarat (34)]

This view is more accurate, as it is in line with:

1- The words of the Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam): “Whoever does an action that is not in accordance with this matter of ours (i.e., Islam), will have it rejected.” [Al-Bukhari and others].

2- One must be aware of that and strive to perform all the Solāh on time, as Allah SWT says:

“Verily, As- Solāh (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours”

An-Nisa’ 4:103]

And Allāh Almighty Knows best.

[Via Islam Q&A]