Qaza prayer refers to the missed or overdue prayers that a Muslim is required to make up at a later time. It is an essential part of the Islamic faith to perform all five daily prayers on time, but if someone misses a prayer due to any reason, they must make it up as soon as possible.
The obligation of Qaza prayer is mentioned in the Hadith, which are the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Here are some relevant Hadith regarding Qaza prayer:
- Abu Qatadah reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Verily, Allah has prescribed for each of His creations their due rights, so do not oppress anyone in your rights, and do not neglect anyone in your obligation to Allah. Whoever misses a prayer intentionally, Allah will not accept any of his good deeds until he makes it up” (Sunan Abu Dawud)
- Abdullah ibn Shaqiq reported: The Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to perform Qaza prayer, and they did not consider it permissible to delay it beyond the next prayer time (Sahih al-Bukhari)
These Hadith indicate that Qaza prayer is an obligation and should be performed as soon as possible, and delaying it intentionally is not permissible.
The number of Fardh Rak’ats (units of prayer) for Qaza prayers depends on the specific prayer that was missed. Here is the number of Rak’ats for each of the five daily prayers:
- Fajr Prayer: 2 Rak’ats
- Dhuhr Prayer: 4 Rak’ats
- Asr Prayer: 4 Rak’ats
- Maghrib Prayer: 3 Rak’ats
- Isha Prayer: 4 Rak’ats
For example, if someone missed the Dhuhr prayer, they would need to perform 4 Rak’ats for the Qaza prayer. Similarly, if someone missed the Maghrib prayer, they would need to perform 3 Rak’ats for the Qaza prayer.
It’s important to note that when performing Qaza prayers, it’s recommended to make up the missed prayers in the order that they were missed. So if someone missed several prayers, they should start with the oldest missed prayer and work their way to the most recent.
Here are some guidelines on when to perform and not perform Qaza prayer for each of the five daily prayers:
- Fajr Prayer: Qaza prayer for Fajr can be performed at any time after sunrise until the start of the Dhuhr prayer. It is recommended to perform it as soon as possible after sunrise and not delay it until later in the day.
- Dhuhr Prayer: Qaza prayer for Dhuhr can be performed at any time after the Asr prayer until the start of the next day’s Fajr prayer. It is recommended to perform it as soon as possible after the Asr prayer and not delay it until later in the day.
- Asr Prayer: Qaza prayer for Asr can be performed at any time until the start of the next day’s Fajr prayer. It is recommended to perform it as soon as possible and not delay it until later in the day.
- Maghrib Prayer: Qaza prayer for Maghrib can be performed at any time until the start of the next day’s Fajr prayer. It is recommended to perform it as soon as possible after the Isha prayer and not delay it until later in the night.
- Isha Prayer: Qaza prayer for Isha can be performed at any time until the start of the next day’s Fajr prayer. It is recommended to perform it as soon as possible after the Fajr prayer and not delay it until later in the day.
It is important to note that it is not permissible to delay Qaza prayers intentionally or for no valid reason. Once a person becomes aware of a missed prayer, they should make every effort to perform the Qaza prayer as soon as possible. Delaying the Qaza prayer without a valid reason is considered a sin and can lead to a decrease in a person’s reward and blessings.
The structure of Qaza prayer is the same as the regular prayer, with a few differences. Here are the steps to perform Qaza prayer:
- Niyyah (Intention): Make the intention in your heart to perform the missed prayer.
- Takbiratul Ihram: Begin the prayer by saying “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) to start the prayer.
- Qira’ah (Recitation): Recite Surah Al-Fatihah and any other Quranic verses that you remember.
- Ruku (Bowing): Bow down and say “Subhana Rabbiyal Adheem” (Glory be to my Lord, the Almighty) three times.
- Qawmah (Standing): Stand up straight and recite any additional verses that you know.
- Sujood (Prostration): Prostrate and say “Subhana Rabbiyal A’la” (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) three times.
- Jalsa (Sitting): Sit back up and recite “Rabbighfirlee” (O Lord, forgive me).
- Repeat: Repeat steps 4 to 7 to complete the first rak’ah.
- Second Rak’ah: Stand up and repeat steps 3 to 7 to complete the second rak’ah.
- Tasleem: End the prayer by saying “Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah” (peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah) to the right and left.
It is important to note that Qaza prayers should be performed as soon as possible, and it is recommended to perform them before the next prayer time begins.