Past Mistakes in Prayer

Question: What do I do if I used to pray as a teenager but made lots of mistakes, such as exposing part of nakedness (awra), or not washing properly after going to the bathroom?

Answer:

Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Dear questioner,

Thank you for your important question.

As long as you prayed, you should assume that all your prayers were valid. For any mistakes in which there is some leeway within the Four Schools, one may retrospectively follow the dispensations and not make up any  prayers (Hashiyat Ibn Abidin).

In general, if you know that you prayed, but you doubt whether or not it was valid, you assume it is valid (Tuhfat al Muhtaj, Ibn Hajar al Haytami).

Regarding exposing some of your chin or neck there is leeway in it, that is also the case for whispering the Qur’an inaudibly (Mukhtasar Khalil). The same is true for doubt about cleaning yourself properly (Fath al Muin, Millibari).

In short, you prayed so there are no make-ups to perform.

I pray this helps.

[Ustadh] Farid

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language