Years of missed prayers, taraweeh, sunnahs, nawafil...

[petal]

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركته

Many people were born into Muslim families but didn't start praying (or fasting) until their mid twenties. So these people have roughly 10 years of obligatory prayers that they have not prayed. 1) What should these people do about making these prayers up?

Most people I know don't even think about their missed prayers (from when they were younger) and if mentioned to them some even say 'I don't even know if I was a Muslim then' !

2) Is it best for such people to pray taraaweeh in Ramadan at the masjid or to make up some of the missed prayers at home (or even in taraaweeh jamaa' behind the Imam) ?

A rough figure would be about 3650 of each of the five prayers to make up for a 10 year period (plus the fasting).


I have learnt that the Shaafi'is hold missed prayers as number one priority and one doesn't pray any other prayer (aside from current fard) sunnah or nawafil, until one makes up all the missed prayers. (Although one can join intentions in prayers that are not time restricted e.g. intention for istikharah, taubah, haajjah and a missed fajr is ok but combining intentions for an obligatory prayer with rawaatib etc... is not ok)

(I'm specifically after Brother Ayman's input. I have been the route of cut and paste, islam q&a etc...)


جزاك الله خيرا

والسلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركته

[Ayman bin Khaled]

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته

The view that I adopt that obligatory Salaat never dropped on people and they are required to pray whenever they are able to. Have not you seen, if one has not fasted two months of Ramadan, he is still required to fast them and make up the days he missed. So, it is as the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: " This is a debt, and the debt of Allah has more right to be fulfilled".

However, some scholars adopt the view that whoever missed many years to pray as much as possible of Nawafil as they complete the missing ones based on a hadeeth that we understand differently. Anyhow, both ways, he is required to pray as much as possible and since he is required to pray then to pray with the intention to make up what he missed is better than praying with the intention to pray nafilah. Also, we still encourage him to pray as much Nawafil as possible.

True that Shafie Madhab does not allow Nafila if the Fard is not prayed. however, this is in narrow scale when one missed couple of Salaat and not wated years not praying. So, based on the circumstances the ruling differ.

N.B. Missed fajr require seperate intention and cannot be combined in intention with another.

So, we suggest one to pray each Salaat twive every day and pray more whenever he is able. This is a price we have to pay for our shortcomings that no one is blamed for but us. Also, we must be responsible for our acts if we claim to be adults.


yet, use wisdom while advising them and do not just throw it on their faces like how I just did (smile). I am saying it here as is to explain it but I would put it differently if I was to advise one.

Barak Allahu feekum

wallahu A'lam

[petal]

جزاك الله خيرا for your reply and advice Brother Ayman. Most appreciated.

I have one follow up question if you could answer that please.

Why cannot one join intentions with make up Fajr salawaat?

I thought the rule was that you are not allowed to join intentions for prayers (missed) with other prayers that have a specific/fixed time like Ad Duha and the Rawaatib?

If you could clarify my misunderstanding that would be great.

جزاك الله خيرا

[Ayman bin Khaled]

Why cannot one join intentions with make up Fajr salawaat?

I thought the rule was that you are not allowed to join intentions for prayers (missed) with other prayers that have a specific/fixed time like Ad Duha and the Rawaatib?

The rule is:

You cannot join any Salaat that requires a special intention for it with any other Salaat. So, apply this rule on the example of yours you will find that:

Making up Salaat requires a special intention for it, therefore you cannot add another intention to it.

Wallahu A'lam

[hilal_salaf]

What if we have lost count of the ammount of prayers missed

[Ayman bin Khaled]

What if we have lost count of the ammount of prayers missed

Let him estimate it then make them up then try to pray as much Nafliah as he could.

The price of Jannah is not cheap after all (smile)

[petal]

The rule is:

You cannot join any Salaat that requires a special intention for it with any other Salaat. So, apply this rule on the example of yours you will find that:

Making up Salaat requires a special intention for it, therefore you cannot add another intention to it.

Wallahu A'lam

جزاك الله خيرا akhee Ayman for your reply.

Could you clarify what is meant by 'special intention' and how it is different from the normal intention when praying any prayer whether fard or sunnah/nawaafil?

I didn't understand that bit.

جزاك الله خيرا for your patience!

[Umm Jamilah]

Let him estimate it then make them up then try to pray as much Nafliah as he could.

The price of Jannah is not cheap after all (smile)

As-salaamu alaykum wa'rahmatullahi wa'barakatuh br. Ayman

For the period I missed my salaah, I did all the calculations etc.., I also subtracted the approx days for when women don't have to pray. Is this the right way of calculating for women (as in do you exclude the time for when we are exempt to pray). Also, I'm only making up the Fard.

[Mu'awiya]

asalam alykum

If someone held the opinion that leaving salah was kufr, and they werent practising islam before 25, couldnt they just take the shahadah to become muslim and be responsible for the prayers after this?

[Abu Abdallah al-Bulghari]

asalam alykum

If someone held the opinion that leaving salah was kufr, and they werent practising islam before 25, couldnt they just take the shahadah to become muslim and be responsible for the prayers after this?

I know some well-known Muslims from ethnic Muslim families that did that.

I also know that some bad acts (acts of Kufr) require pronouncing Shahaada again. I am not sure though that the effect on past deeds of such Shahaada will be the same.