Chapter Six: Making Up Missed Prayers

باب قَضَاءَ الفَوَائِت

Bab Qada al-Fawa'it — The Ruling on Prayers Missed Through Sleep or Forgetfulness

A Muslim who misses a prescribed prayer — whether through sleep, forgetfulness, or other unavoidable circumstance — is obligated to make it up (perform qada) as soon as they are able. This is not the same as the sin of deliberately abandoning a prayer, which is a severe matter. The Sunnah provides clear guidance on how to handle prayers that were missed.

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ: مَنْ نَسِيَ صَلَاةً — أَوْ نَامَ عَنْهَا — فَكَفَّارَتُهَا أَنْ يُصَلِّيَهَا إِذَا ذَكَرَهَا

On the authority of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 'Whoever forgets a prayer — or sleeps through it — his expiation is that he performs it when he remembers it.' (Agreed upon: Bukhari and Muslim)

This hadith establishes that the only expiation (kaffarah) for a missed prayer is to perform it. There is no financial penalty and no other substitute. The obligation to make up the missed prayer does not lapse; it remains a debt owed to Allah until it is paid.

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ: إِذَا رَقَدَ أَحَدُكُمْ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ أَوْ غَفَلَ عَنْهَا فَلْيُصَلِّهَا إِذَا ذَكَرَهَا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ: أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي

On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 'When one of you sleeps through the prayer or is heedless of it, let him pray it when he remembers, for Allah says: "Establish the prayer for My remembrance."' (Sūrah Ṭā Hā 20:14) (Agreed upon: Bukhari and Muslim)

The scholars agree that missed prayers should be made up in order (i.e., the prayer missed earliest should be made up first), unless one fears that the time of the current prayer will pass before the makeup is completed.