The ruling on an apostate making up acts of worship after returning to Islam

Question:
If a Muslim apostatizes from his religion for many years and then returns to Islam, is he required to make up the fasting and obligatory prayers he left off during his period of apostasy?

Answer:
If a Muslim apostatizes from Islam—may Allah protect us from that—and then Allah grants him repentance, he is not required to make up the prayers and fasting he left off during his period of apostasy. This is based on the saying of Allah, the Exalted: [Al-Anfal: 38], and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): This is the most correct opinion of the scholars, based on the aforementioned verse, the aforementioned hadith, and what has come in that meaning. It is also because the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not order those who embraced Islam from among the apostates during the time of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah have mercy on him) or others to make up the prayers and fasting they had left off, and they were the most knowledgeable people about the Shari'ah of Allah after their Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Furthermore, compelling him to make up the prayers and fasting he left off would deter him from returning to Islam. Likewise, he does not make up the zakah he left off, because it is only valid from a Muslim, and no one else is held accountable for it; thus, it is like prayer and fasting.