A young man who did not pray until he reached the age of twenty: is he held accountable for the prayers he left behind, and is he required to make up what he missed since reaching maturity?

The questioner : A young man who did not pray until he was approximately twenty years old: is he held accountable for the prayers he left behind? And is he required to make up what he missed since reaching maturity? Please guide us in this matter.

The Shaykh : The correct view is that he does not make up what he left behind after reaching maturity, because if he did so and made them up, they would not be accepted from him, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family): And whoever performs a prayer outside its time without an excuse, he has done a deed for which there is no command from Allah and His Messenger, so his deed is rejected.
As for the sin, he is certainly sinful, and he must repent to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) with sincere repentance. And if he repents to Allah with sincere repentance, then Allah the Exalted accepts the repentance of those who repent, provided that the repentance is sincere.

The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.