What Are Makeup Prayers Or Qada Prayers?
Makeup prayer is Qada Prayer. Muslims pray 5 times a day. Adhan, the prayer call; is called five times a day when the time of the prayer starts. And there is sufficient time from the adhan call till the closing time of prayer; so that one can easily manage salaah along with his worldly matters undisturbed.
It is the beauty of Islam that paying on time is preferred but not obligatory. Allah subhana hu wa tala has given enough relaxation in a time limit of prayer that one can easily manage if one wishes. But still, times it happens; one fails to offer salaah within a certain time limit.
– sometimes for unavoidable reasons; sometimes due to negligence. In such a case one has to offer makeup prayer.
Unless it is a life and death situation or something that is beyond one’s control like oversleeping; etc. one is not allowed to miss any of their ‘fard’ or obligatory prayers. If one regularly misses a ‘fard’ prayer without a valid reason; it is a huge sin in Islam. The prayers are a duty prescribed by Allah that must be prayed on time.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 103:
إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَٰبًا مَّوْقُوتًا
Indeed the Salaat is a prescribed duty that should be performed by the believers at appointed times.
Now the question is; what if one misses prayers? It often happens; we are unable to wake up for fajar prayer. Or some times; we are tired and plan for a short nap; and plan to offer prayer when we wake up. But this short nap turns into a long one and the time limit of the prayer gets finished.
Or if one has an important meeting or exam; and the time limit of salaah ends while he is conscious about it, but he can not offer prayer due to any such emergency. All these cases have something in common ” person had the intention to pray”; so in such cases, Islam shows its lenient nature by allowing make-up prayers – Qada. But what about people who are habitual in leaving prayers?
How to offer Qada Prayer?
A make-up prayer is offered in the same manner as a current prayer. One doesn’t pray sunnah prayers while making up qada obligatory prayers. But in the case of Fajar; you have to pray 2 rakaah sunnah also. And in the case of Isha; the waiter should also be prayed as they are also obligatory.
If a prayer is qada; it is common practice among Muslims that it is to be made up as soon as it is remembered or as soon as one can do so. practice among Muslims that it is to be made up as soon as it is remembered or as soon as one can do so.
For example; if one misses the noon prayer because of a work meeting that could not be interrupted; one should pray as soon as the meeting is over. If the next prayer time has already come; one should first perform the prayer that was qada; and immediately after it the “on time” prayer.
One who doesn’t know precisely how many compensation prayers he has to perform behaves according to his superior prediction. If he can not predict the number of his compensation prayers; he continues to perform compensation prayers until he believes that he has no compensation prayers on him anymore.
Missed Fajar Salah ?
Abu Qatadah related that sleeping through prayer time was mentioned to the Prophet (saws), and he said;
“There is no negligence in sleep, but negligence occurs while one is awake. If one of you forgets a prayer or sleeps through its time; then he should pray it when he remembers it.”
Recorded by an-Nasa’i and at-Tirmidhi,
Anas related that the Prophet (saws), said;
“Whoever forgets a prayer should pray it when he remembers it; and there is no expiation for it save that.” Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Reported ‘Imran ibn Husain, “We went with the Messenger of Allah during the night. When the last portion of the night came, we became tired and fell asleep. We did not wake until we felt the heat of the sun. Some of us tried hurriedly to purify ourselves. The Prophet ordered us to be calm. Then we rode on until the sun had risen, and we made ablution. He ordered Bilal to make the call to prayer and then prayed two rak’at before the (obligatory) morning prayer. Then we stood and prayed.”
Qada Prayer – In Light Of The Above Traditions;
If one forgets or oversleeps the time for fajr prayer; he should pray when he remembers it (making sure that the sun has completely risen).
It is incorrect to simply throw up one’s hands and say; “Oh, it was qada and there is nothing to do about it.” There are times when prayer is qada for unavoidable reasons. It is indeed a sin if one misses prayers regularly without a valid reason (i.e. constantly oversleeping the pre-dawn prayer).
However, the door to repentance is open and the first step is to make up the qada prayer as soon as possible. One should repent any delay that was due to negligence or forgetfulness; and commit to developing the habit of performing the prayers within their timeframe.
