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Fatwa CenterMaking up of prayers
Question
My friend did not pray yesterday, and told me that she would make up her prayers tomorrow, is that possible? I thought only fasting can be made up and prayers can be made up but only during the same day.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
The Prophet 
said: "Whoever sleeps and misses a prayer or forgets to pray it, its expiation is to pray it as soon as he remembers it." [Muslim] Another narration reads: "Whoever sleeps and misses a prayer or forgets to pray it, should pray it as soon as he remembers it." The above narrations are about a person who did not perform the prayer because of a valid reason, either because of forgetfulness or sleep, and that he has to make up for the prayer when he remembers it, whether he remembers it on the same day or after many days. There is no specific day for making up prayers; rather one has to make them up whenever he remembers them.
As regards abandoning the prayers without a valid excuse then this is not permissible, and abandoning the prayers without a valid excuse is one of the great major sins. Allaah says (which means): {So woe to the worshippers Who delay their Prayers from their stated fixed times.}[Quran 107:5-6]. Allaah further says (which means): {Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up the prayers to be lost, either (by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their fixed times) and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell.}[Quran 19:59]. Ibn 'Abbaas 
interpreted 'be thrown in hell' by saying it is a deep valley in Hellfire with a very unpleasant taste. So delaying prayers without a sound excuse is one of the great major sins, and the scholars
differed in opinion in relation to a person who abandons the prayer without a valid excuse whether or not he has to make them up. The majority of scholars are of the view that one has to make it up just like a person who forgot to pray or overslept has to make it up. Therefore, if your friend has abandoned the prayer without a sound reason, she has first to repent from this sin, because the prayers are the spine of religion, and neglecting them could take someone out of the fold of Islam; we seek refuge in Allaah from that. The Prophet said: "The pact between us and them is prayer, so whoever abandons it is a disbeliever." [At-Tirmithi and An-Nasaa'ee] So she has to make up the prayers that she had missed immediately without delaying them for a day or two as it is an obligation to make up the missed prayers immediately upon remembering them.
For how and when to make up missed prayers, please refer to Fataawa: 81536 and 84645.
Allaah knows best.
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