In some years I was deficient in prayer and I do not know how many obligatory prayers I missed. Do I have to make up those prayers, and how do I make them up? I know that I pray more than twenty voluntary rak'ahs a day.

The questioner : In some years I was deficient in prayer and I do not know how many obligatory prayers I missed. Do I have to make up those prayers? And how do I make them up? I know that I pray more than twenty voluntary rak'ahs a day?

The Shaykh : Regarding this deficiency, we must know whether it means not praying at all, or that he prays but does not perform the pillars and obligatory acts of the prayer. If it is the former, meaning he did not pray and days passed during which he did not pray, then he does not make up those days, because even if he did make them up, they would not be accepted from him, since he intentionally delayed the prayer beyond its time. In that case, he would have prayed a prayer for which he was not commanded. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: This is rejected from him. However, if he neglected something in the prayer but does not know which prayer he neglected, he should exercise caution. If he estimates that it was the Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha, or Fajr, he should pray the five prayers to be certain of fulfilling the obligation. It was also said that he should pray four, three, and two, and say: "These four are for the Dhuhr, Asr, or Isha," because these three are agreed upon in number and form, so he prays a prayer intending it for one of them. However, the first option is more cautious: that he pray five prayers to be certain of fulfilling the obligation.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.