Dr. Mahmoud Shalaby, a Fatwa Secretary at the Egyptian Dar Al-Ifta, addressed a question about prayers that a Muslim had missed during his youth and how they should be made up after many years have passed.
He explained that prayer is an obligation and one of the pillars of Islam. It remains an obligation for a legally responsible Muslim who is conscious and aware. If a person neglected prayers and later sincerely repented, he should make an effort to make up the prayers he missed according to his ability.
Sincere repentance is accompanied by a commitment to make up the missed prayers while continuing to perform all current obligatory prayers on time.
How to Make Up Missed Prayers
When the number of missed prayers is large, they can be made up gradually rather than all at once.
One possible approach is to perform an additional missed prayer alongside each current obligatory prayer, continuing this process until the missed prayers have been completed.
The person should take their ability into consideration while remaining committed to the gradual process of making up the prayers.
Should All Missed Prayers Be Made Up?
According to the explanation provided by the Fatwa Secretary, a person who neglected prayers and then repented should make an effort to make up the missed prayers according to their ability.
If the number is large, the prayers can be distributed over a period of time so that they can be completed gradually.
The important point is to continue making up the prayers while maintaining the current obligatory prayers.
What If You Do Not Know the Number of Missed Prayers?
After many years, a person may be unable to determine exactly how many prayers were missed.
Dr. Mahmoud Shalaby explained that if a person remembers a specific number, they should follow that number. If the exact number cannot be determined, they should make a reasonable effort to estimate it and act according to what they believe is most likely to be correct.
How to Estimate Missed Prayers
The person can first identify the period during which prayers were missed and then estimate the number of prayers missed during that period based on what they remember.
If an exact figure remains impossible to determine, they should make a sincere effort to reach the closest reasonable estimate and begin making up the prayers accordingly.
What If Someone Makes Up More Prayers Than Required?
If a person makes a genuine effort to calculate the missed prayers but ultimately makes up more prayers than were actually owed, the additional prayers are counted as voluntary acts of worship.
If the person makes a sincere effort to estimate the number but makes up fewer prayers than the actual number without deliberately neglecting them, the Fatwa Secretary explained that they are not held accountable for what they could not determine despite making the required effort.
Is Repentance Enough for Missed Prayers?
Sincere repentance is essential for someone who neglected prayer, together with a commitment to make up the missed prayers according to their ability.
Repentance remains open regardless of how many prayers were missed. The person should begin making them up while continuing to observe the current obligatory prayers on time.
What If Someone Dies Before Completing the Missed Prayers?
The Fatwa Secretary explained that if a person sincerely repents, intends to make up the missed prayers, and dies before completing them, they are hoped to receive Allah's forgiveness and mercy, particularly after having repented and made a genuine effort to fulfill what they owed.
The door of repentance remains open, and the person should begin making up missed prayers without unnecessary delay.
What is the ruling on prayers missed during youth?
A person should sincerely repent and make an effort to make up the missed prayers according to their ability.
How can many missed prayers be made up?
They can be made up gradually, such as by performing a missed prayer alongside each current obligatory prayer.
What if I do not know how many prayers I missed?
If the exact number cannot be determined, make a reasonable estimate and follow what you believe is most likely to be correct.
What if I make up more prayers than I actually owed?
The additional prayers are counted as voluntary worship.
What if I die before completing the missed prayers?
A person who sincerely repents, intends to make them up, and makes a genuine effort before death is hoped to receive Allah's forgiveness and mercy.
