Is it permissible to pray on behalf of a deceased person who missed some of the obligatory prayers? We ask for guidance on this matter.
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The questioner : This listener, Ibrahim Dardiri, from the Arab Republic of Egypt, asks: Is it permissible to pray on behalf of a deceased person who missed some of the obligatory prayers? We ask for guidance on this matter?
The Shaykh : When a person dies, nothing of the acts of worship is made up on his behalf except what is established by an explicit text. The text establishes making up Hajj and fasting on his behalf.
As for Hajj, a woman came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, my mother vowed to perform Hajj but did not do so until she died. Should I perform Hajj on her behalf?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 7315 She said, "Yes." He said: Sahih al-Bukhari 1852.
As for fasting, it is authentic from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih Muslim 1147 Likewise, if it is assumed that the deceased died without paying his zakah, it is paid from his estate because zakah is a debt. And the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 1852.
These are three of the pillars of Islam for which evidence indicates that they are made up for the deceased: zakah, fasting, and Hajj. However, zakah is not actually made up for the deceased in a complete sense; rather, it is paid from his estate.
As for prayer, there is no command from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to make it up. So if a person dies and he has prayers he did not perform, they are not made up for him, and no food is given on his behalf in place of the prayer, because that has not been established. Acts of worship are based on divine legislation; if something is not established by the Shari'ah, we have no right to legislate anything regarding it. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : When a person dies, nothing of the acts of worship is made up on his behalf except what is established by an explicit text. The text establishes making up Hajj and fasting on his behalf.
As for Hajj, a woman came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, my mother vowed to perform Hajj but did not do so until she died. Should I perform Hajj on her behalf?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
See, if your mother had been in debt, would you have paid her debt?
أرأيت لو كان على أمك دين أكنت قاضيتهSo, pay Allah's debt as He has more right to be paid.
اقضوا الله فالله أحق بالوفاءAs for fasting, it is authentic from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone dies in a state (that he had to complete) some fasts, his heir must fast on his behalf.
من مات وعليه صيام صام عنه وليهSo, pay Allah's debt as He has more right to be paid.
اقضوا الله فالله أحق بالوفاءThese are three of the pillars of Islam for which evidence indicates that they are made up for the deceased: zakah, fasting, and Hajj. However, zakah is not actually made up for the deceased in a complete sense; rather, it is paid from his estate.
As for prayer, there is no command from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to make it up. So if a person dies and he has prayers he did not perform, they are not made up for him, and no food is given on his behalf in place of the prayer, because that has not been established. Acts of worship are based on divine legislation; if something is not established by the Shari'ah, we have no right to legislate anything regarding it. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.