What is the ruling if a person intentionally leaves off the prayer until the time has passed, and is it permissible to make it up?
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The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : What is the ruling if a person intentionally leaves off the prayer and the time passes? And is it permissible for him to make it up?
The Shaykh : If a person intentionally delays the prayer from its time without an excuse and then prays it after the time, it will not be accepted from him, even if he prays it a thousand times. The evidence for this is the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Nisa 4:103] meaning that it is specified by a time. So if he intentionally takes it out of the specified time, he is an oppressor and a transgressor, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted: [At-Talaq 65:1] [Al-Baqarah 2:229] The oppressor and transgressor is not accepted, because Allah Mighty and Majestic is Good and accepts nothing but what is good. Also, because if he delays the prayer from its time intentionally without an excuse and then prays it after the time, he has performed it in a manner that was not commanded by Allah and His Messenger. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sahih Muslim 1718b meaning that it is rejected from him.
So if someone says, "Then what does he do? If he intentionally delays the prayer from its time, what does he do?" We say: He repents to Allah and amends his conduct, and he is not obligated to make it up. The evidence is what we mentioned just now from the verse and the hadith. We said he is not obligated to make it up because if he makes it up in this state, it will not benefit him, and it would be an act from which he gains no benefit.
As for if he delays it out of forgetfulness, sleep, or ignorance of the time, such as if it was cloudy and he did not know the time and he did not have a watch, then he prays it whenever his excuse is removed, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): من نام عن صلاة أو نسيها فليصلها إذا ذكرها لا كفارة لها إلا ذلك ثم تلا قول الله تعالى : وأقم الصلاة لذكري Whoever sleeps through a prayer or forgets it, let him pray it when he remembers it. There is no expiation for it except that. Then he recited the saying of Allah the Exalted: And establish prayer for My remembrance.
The Shaykh : If a person intentionally delays the prayer from its time without an excuse and then prays it after the time, it will not be accepted from him, even if he prays it a thousand times. The evidence for this is the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.
إن الصلاة كانت على المؤمنين كتاب موقوتاAnd whoever transgresses the limits of Allah has certainly wronged himself
ومن يتعد حدود الله فقد ظلم نفسهAnd whoever transgresses the limits of Allah - it is those who are the wrongdoers.
ومن يتعد حدود الله فأولئك هم الظالمونHe who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
من عمل عملا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو ردSo if someone says, "Then what does he do? If he intentionally delays the prayer from its time, what does he do?" We say: He repents to Allah and amends his conduct, and he is not obligated to make it up. The evidence is what we mentioned just now from the verse and the hadith. We said he is not obligated to make it up because if he makes it up in this state, it will not benefit him, and it would be an act from which he gains no benefit.
As for if he delays it out of forgetfulness, sleep, or ignorance of the time, such as if it was cloudy and he did not know the time and he did not have a watch, then he prays it whenever his excuse is removed, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): من نام عن صلاة أو نسيها فليصلها إذا ذكرها لا كفارة لها إلا ذلك ثم تلا قول الله تعالى : وأقم الصلاة لذكري Whoever sleeps through a prayer or forgets it, let him pray it when he remembers it. There is no expiation for it except that. Then he recited the saying of Allah the Exalted: And establish prayer for My remembrance.