Should I Perform Missed Prayers Before I Say the Testification (Shahada) after Puberty?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
I went through puberty, and I did not pray any prayers at all. While following the opinion that is saying shahada is only necessary for worldly rulings like prayer and sawm to apply to a person. If I am unsure if I said the shahada until after I started praying (meaning I started praying and repented of sins, then I said shahada after every wudu before I didn’t do any wudu or shahada), can I believe that I did not take the shahada until after I started praying? It is more convenient for me because I have lots of missed prayers, and I am so worried, sad, and depressed that it is hard for me to make them up, but I still want to be highly close to Allah and be a Wali of Allah. Please advise.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are well.
You can be assured that you said the testimony of faith (shahada) when you accepted Islam or that you are a born Muslim. Although you might not have performed any prayer or even done wudu, it will be fine without saying it. At the same time, as a convert to Islam or a born Muslim, you can repeat, and it is highly encouraged to do so, that the shahada should be part of our daily remembrance and renewal of faith (iman).
Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Renew your faith.” They said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, how can we renew our faith?’ The Prophet said, ‘Say often there is no God but Allah.’” [Ahmad]
Don’t be saddened; you are in good hands; you have faith in Allah (Most High), and He knows your intentions and resolves. Just make a plan to perform the missed prayers, this is the first step to sainthood, and each consequent step is higher up, as long as you continue to do so, be it gradually. Continue to be in good company, attending the local masjid, participating in circles of knowledge and remembrance, and having contact with local reliable Allah-fearing scholars.
Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course/s on SeekersGuidance?
I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.
