The Prayer of Lifetime Compensation
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa No. ( 2438 )
Q: A - Some of the imams of the mosques pray in Ramadan after
the Farewell Friday Prayer, five prayers for their times, in congregation with adhan and iqamah, with the same commitment as the obligatory and required prayers, and they call it: the Prayer of Lifetime Compensation. The common people pray it according to its name; believing it is compensation for all the prayers they missed in their lifetime, and the specialists—meaning the imams—perform it as a remedy for the deficiencies in their prayers. These innovators criticize those who do not pray this prayer. So what is asked of you is: Is it permissible to perform this prayer, i.e., the Prayer of Lifetime Compensation, with commitment in Ramadan after the Farewell Friday Prayer, and does it have a basis in the Shari'ah of Islam? B - Is performing the two rak'ahs in one's home better for a person, or is performing the Prayer of Lifetime Compensation in the mosque better for him?
A: A - Prayer is worship, and the original rule in it is to follow what is prescribed, and seeking its compensation and its explanation is legislation, and that is not valid to be referred to except to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and the consensus based on them, or on one of them. It has not been established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), nor from his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), nor from the Imams of Guidance (may Allah have mercy on them): that they prayed this prayer, or ordered it and encouraged it, or recommended it. If it had been established, his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would have known it and transmitted it to us, and the Imams of Guidance after them would have directed to it. But it has not been established from any of them: by word or deed; so that indicates that what is mentioned in the question regarding the Prayer of Lifetime Compensation is a religious innovation (bid'ah) that Allah has not permitted. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Sahih Muslim 1718a , and what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered is that what is missed of the prayers be made up; due to sleep or forgetfulness until its time has passed, and he explained to us that we should pray it itself when we wake up or remember it, not in the last Friday of Ramadan. B - As for the voluntary prayer in the home, it is better than praying it in the mosque; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Bulugh al-Maram 2:313 agreed upon for its authenticity. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q: A - Some of the imams of the mosques pray in Ramadan after
the Farewell Friday Prayer, five prayers for their times, in congregation with adhan and iqamah, with the same commitment as the obligatory and required prayers, and they call it: the Prayer of Lifetime Compensation. The common people pray it according to its name; believing it is compensation for all the prayers they missed in their lifetime, and the specialists—meaning the imams—perform it as a remedy for the deficiencies in their prayers. These innovators criticize those who do not pray this prayer. So what is asked of you is: Is it permissible to perform this prayer, i.e., the Prayer of Lifetime Compensation, with commitment in Ramadan after the Farewell Friday Prayer, and does it have a basis in the Shari'ah of Islam? B - Is performing the two rak'ahs in one's home better for a person, or is performing the Prayer of Lifetime Compensation in the mosque better for him?
A: A - Prayer is worship, and the original rule in it is to follow what is prescribed, and seeking its compensation and its explanation is legislation, and that is not valid to be referred to except to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and the consensus based on them, or on one of them. It has not been established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), nor from his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), nor from the Imams of Guidance (may Allah have mercy on them): that they prayed this prayer, or ordered it and encouraged it, or recommended it. If it had been established, his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would have known it and transmitted it to us, and the Imams of Guidance after them would have directed to it. But it has not been established from any of them: by word or deed; so that indicates that what is mentioned in the question regarding the Prayer of Lifetime Compensation is a religious innovation (bid'ah) that Allah has not permitted. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
'A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected.
من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو ردThe most excellent prayer of a person is (that which he prays) in his house except that which is prescribed (the five congregational prayers).
أفضل صلاة المرء في بيته إلا المكتوبة
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.