I have a friend who started praying a short time ago, meaning he did not pray in the past years, and prayer was obligatory upon him at that time, and he is a man.
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The questioner : In the second question of this questioner from the state of Bahrain, he says: I have a friend who started praying a short time ago, meaning he did not pray in the past years, and prayer was obligatory upon him from that time, and he is an adult of sound mind. Does he have to make up what he missed from the previous years, or not? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : There is scholarly disagreement (khilaf) among the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) regarding this. The majority of scholars hold that it is obligatory (wajib) for him to make up the missed prayers because he is an adult of sound mind with no excuse. Prayer is not dropped due to an excuse; a person must pray even if he is ill, to the extent of his condition. And if a person sleeps through a prayer or forgets it, he prays it when he remembers it or wakes up.
Some scholars said that if a person leaves prayer until its time has passed without an excuse such as sleep or forgetfulness or the like, he does not make it up, because if he made it up, it would not be accepted from him. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 1718b And whoever delays prayer until its time has passed without an excuse and then prays it, he has performed it in a manner not commanded, so it is invalid (batil). And in that case, there is no benefit in his praying it.
This opinion is the stronger position (rajih): that he does not have to make up what has passed of the prayers he left. However, he must repent with sincere repentance, and he should increase in righteous deeds, seeking forgiveness, and repenting to Allah.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : There is scholarly disagreement (khilaf) among the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) regarding this. The majority of scholars hold that it is obligatory (wajib) for him to make up the missed prayers because he is an adult of sound mind with no excuse. Prayer is not dropped due to an excuse; a person must pray even if he is ill, to the extent of his condition. And if a person sleeps through a prayer or forgets it, he prays it when he remembers it or wakes up.
Some scholars said that if a person leaves prayer until its time has passed without an excuse such as sleep or forgetfulness or the like, he does not make it up, because if he made it up, it would not be accepted from him. This is based on 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 عمِل عملا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو ردThis opinion is the stronger position (rajih): that he does not have to make up what has passed of the prayers he left. However, he must repent with sincere repentance, and he should increase in righteous deeds, seeking forgiveness, and repenting to Allah.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.