I have been, for more than twenty-five years approximately, breaking the fast in Ramadan and not praying, and now I am fifty years old, praise be to Allah, and after I married twenty-five years ago
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The questioner : I have been, for more than twenty-five years approximately, breaking the fast in Ramadan and not praying, and now I am fifty years old, praise be to Allah, and after I married twenty-five years ago I straightened out on the Shari'ah of Allah, praise be to Allah, I no longer break the fast in Ramadan and I no longer leave off the time for prayer for seventeen years. I went for Hajj, and for more than ten years, meaning every year, I perform the 'Umrah in Makkah al-Mukarramah. I hope you will tell me what I should do about the days I broke the fast, knowing that I do not know how many they are, and also the prayer, I did not pray for about twelve years. May Allah reward you with good?
The Shaykh : If your leaving off fasting and prayer was absolute, meaning that you did not start fasting and did not start praying, then here we say: repent to Allah the Exalted and Majestic for what you did, and improve your deeds and increase in good deeds, so that perhaps Allah will forgive you. You do not need to make up what you missed, because if you made it up, you would not benefit from it, since making it up after its time has passed without a Shari'ah excuse is of no benefit, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 1718b And making up is only prescribed when there is an excuse, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: But if you had started fasting or praying and then stopped and did not make it up, then it is obligatory for you to make it up, meaning to make up what you missed, because when you started it, it was as if you vowed it upon yourself, so it is obligatory for you to make it up. And if you are in doubt and do not know what is upon you, then seek the truth and act on what is most likely in your opinion.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : If your leaving off fasting and prayer was absolute, meaning that you did not start fasting and did not start praying, then here we say: repent to Allah the Exalted and Majestic for what you did, and improve your deeds and increase in good deeds, so that perhaps Allah will forgive you. You do not need to make up what you missed, because if you made it up, you would not benefit from it, since making it up after its time has passed without a Shari'ah excuse is of no benefit, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
He who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
من عمل عملاً ليس عليه أمرنا فهو ردWhoever sleeps through a prayer or forgets it, let him pray it when he remembers it.
من نام عن صلاة أو نسيها فليصلها إذا ذكرهاThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good.