Do I Have to Make up the Confirmed Sunna Prayers?

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question: Assalam alaykum,

Do I have to make up the confirmed sunna prayers?

Answer: Wa alaykum assalam,

I hope you’re doing well, insha’Allah..

No, confirmed sunnas are not made up after their time. [Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

No Make Ups for Missed Sunnas—But the Sunna of Not Losing Out

However, it is a general sunna to perform an equivalent amount of voluntary sunnas to “make up for” the lost reward of recently missed sunnas.

This also has the benefit of

(1) not breaking one’s spiritual routines completely—as routines are the key to attainment;
(2) making one’s wayward self (nafs) uphold discipline, in order to restrain it; and
(3) not to lose out on the opportunity for reward and going good—in affirmation of our commitment to seek Allah, to love Allah, and to always seek His closeness and presence in our life.

While this is not expected—nor considered a substitute nor actual make up (qada’) for missed sunnas—it is understood from the Prophet’s personal habit (peace and blessings be upon him). Umar ibn al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) related that the Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his folk) said, “Whoever sleeps through their routine (hizb) of night worship—or any part of it—and performs it between Fajr prayer and Zuhr prayer shall have it recorded as if they actually performed it at night.” [Related by Muslim]

And Allah is the giver of success and facilitation.

[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a scholar and researcher of Islamic law and translator of several Arabic works to the English language. After ten years overseas, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in the Summer of 2007. In May 2008 he founded SeekersGuidance to deal with the urgent need to spread Islamic knowledge—both online and on the ground—in a reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible manner.