Search In Fatwa

Observing order in making up for many missed prayers

Question

Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu. I have read several fatwas on making up for missed prayers, but I am still confused. I need to make up a lot of prayers (most of them I performed incorrectly, some I missed because of oversleeping, and others I missed deliberately). I read that the order in making up prayers is a condition for their validity, but what about current prayers? Is it impermissible for me perform the current prayers on time, and am I to busy myself with making up missed prayers and leave the current prayer until I fear that the time for that prayer will end to observe their correct order and then pray the current prayer when its time is about to end, like a hypocrite? Also, it is important to me to know, if I wash of impurities of a dog or swine under tap water and water splashes on me and around, is this water considered impure? Do I need to wash the area which was touched by this water seven times? I fear that I may mentally hurt myself by doing this. Can I hope that Allah will forgive it and accept my prayer even with these impurities on me? Please answer this question, and do not send me links to other fatwas. May Allah reward you.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

As for the prayers that you missed because of oversleeping, according to the consensus of the scholars, you are obliged to make up for them. Regarding the prayers that you missed deliberately, there is a difference of opinion about the obligation to make up for them. It is more prudent to make up for them in order to be on the safe side. The same applies to the prayers which you performed incorrectly if you were unaware of the correct way to perform the conditions or pillars of the prayer. The scholars held different opinions regarding the obligation to make up for them. Ibn Taymiyyah  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him held that it is not obligatory to make up for the missed prayers in this case. The majority of the scholars, however, held that it is an obligation to make up for them. In any case, if you can make up for all missed prayers, then that is something good.

Observing order in making up prayers is subject to different scholarly views. The view of the Shaafiʻis, which is the one we hold as preponderant, is that it is recommended, but not an obligation. Hence, if you do not observe their order, there is no harm. Even the scholars who held that observing order is an obligation waive this obligation when one fears missing the current prayer. Shaykh Ibn ʻUthaymeen  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him favors the view that order is also waived by the fear of missing the congregational prayer.

You are required to make up for the missed prayers according to your ability until you fear that you might miss the current prayer or the congregational prayer, so you hasten to perform the current prayer. You are not considered a hypocrite who delays the prayers to the end of its time because you are delaying it for a valid excuse.

The view of the Maalikis is that you make up for the missed prayers of two days every day and that this is sufficient in terms of clearing yourself of your liability. You should make up for prayers according to your ability in a way that does not physically harm you or affects your livelihood.

This is as far as your first question is concerned. As for your other questions, please resend them one at a time so that we can answer them properly, following the website's policy.

Allah knows best.

Related Fatwa