What is the ruling on making up missed prayers and fasts for one who repents?
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Question:
Q: The one who intentionally left fasting and some of the prayers... and then repented...?
Answer:
Repentance is sufficient. If he repents, Allah accepts his repentance. If he left the prayer, or committed a type of disbelief, or committed one of the nullifiers of Islam, repentance is sufficient. If he repents, Allah accepts his repentance, and he does not need to make up the missed acts. However, he must make up the fasts... and likewise, if he delayed the Hajj, he performs the Hajj and is not declared a disbeliever. As for leaving the prayer, it is disbelief according to the correct opinion, even if he did not deny its obligation. So if he left the prayer and then Allah guided him, he does not have to make up the missed prayers; his repentance is sufficient for him.
Q: So fasting and prayer are the same?
The Shaykh: No, they are not the same. Leaving the prayer is disbelief. Whoever dies in that state dies as a disbeliever. And if he embraces Islam and repents to Allah, he does not have to make up the missed prayers. But if he was praying and was fine, but he left some of the fasting, then he must make up the fasts along with his repentance. Leaving fasting is not major shirk (associating partners with Allah). No. Some of the Salaf (the earliest generations) said that it makes one a disbeliever, but the correct opinion is that it does not make one a disbeliever. He becomes a sinner. Whoever breaks his fast intentionally becomes a sinner, not a disbeliever. He must make up the fast and repent. And prayer is greater.
Q: But what if he does not pray and does not fast at the same time?
The Shaykh: If he does not pray and does not fast, he does not have to make up anything, neither fasting nor prayer. He only has to repent; because he is an apostate, and an apostate does not make up missed acts. But if he was praying and left some of the fasting, he makes up the fasts.
Q: But what if he only leaves some of the prayers?
The Shaykh: Leaving some of the prayer is disbelief. If he leaves some of the prayer, praying one time and not praying another, he becomes a disbeliever. We ask Allah for safety.
Q: The one who intentionally left fasting and some of the prayers... and then repented...?
Answer:
Repentance is sufficient. If he repents, Allah accepts his repentance. If he left the prayer, or committed a type of disbelief, or committed one of the nullifiers of Islam, repentance is sufficient. If he repents, Allah accepts his repentance, and he does not need to make up the missed acts. However, he must make up the fasts... and likewise, if he delayed the Hajj, he performs the Hajj and is not declared a disbeliever. As for leaving the prayer, it is disbelief according to the correct opinion, even if he did not deny its obligation. So if he left the prayer and then Allah guided him, he does not have to make up the missed prayers; his repentance is sufficient for him.
Q: So fasting and prayer are the same?
The Shaykh: No, they are not the same. Leaving the prayer is disbelief. Whoever dies in that state dies as a disbeliever. And if he embraces Islam and repents to Allah, he does not have to make up the missed prayers. But if he was praying and was fine, but he left some of the fasting, then he must make up the fasts along with his repentance. Leaving fasting is not major shirk (associating partners with Allah). No. Some of the Salaf (the earliest generations) said that it makes one a disbeliever, but the correct opinion is that it does not make one a disbeliever. He becomes a sinner. Whoever breaks his fast intentionally becomes a sinner, not a disbeliever. He must make up the fast and repent. And prayer is greater.
Q: But what if he does not pray and does not fast at the same time?
The Shaykh: If he does not pray and does not fast, he does not have to make up anything, neither fasting nor prayer. He only has to repent; because he is an apostate, and an apostate does not make up missed acts. But if he was praying and left some of the fasting, he makes up the fasts.
Q: But what if he only leaves some of the prayers?
The Shaykh: Leaving some of the prayer is disbelief. If he leaves some of the prayer, praying one time and not praying another, he becomes a disbeliever. We ask Allah for safety.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.