Question:
As a young person, I was much more negligent towards my duties to Islam. I am currently on a quest to make up for my negligence. Besides making duas, I am currently doing qadha’s on my fasts and salaat and have some questions.
Salaat: If I do a qadha salaat for the fard rakats before each salaat (ie 2 rakaat qadha fard before the main 4 Faraz rakaats, 4 rakaat qadha fard before the 10 main Dhuhar salaat etc) for the next 6 years will this suffice? If I decide on a certain day between Dhuhar and Asr to do multiple qadhas between these two salaats, will this suffice?
Fasting: I am not sure how many fasts I have missed, nor am I sure if I broke any. I am certain, however, since I was a youth, there were fasts that I skipped. Will fasting for consecutive 60 days fulfill this (ie kaffarah)?
Jazakallah khair Mufti Saheb and please make dua for me.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
At the outset, we would like to commend you for your effort in trying to practice upon Deen and that you have realized the importance of the injunctions in Shariah. May Allah Ta’ala grant you steadfastness.
In principle, Salaah and fasting becomes fard (compulsory) upon becoming an adult. According to Shariah, a person is regarded to be baligh (mature) from the time he/she experiences adulthood. If by the age of fifteen he/she does not experience adulthood, Shariah will consider such a person as baligh (mature).
If you missed any Fard Salaah from the time you became baligh (mature or puberty), you must make Qadha (make up) for the missed Salaahs. The Fard Salaahs are; 2 fard of Fajr, 4 of Zuhr, 4 of Asr, 3 of Maghrib, 4 of Isha. Also the 3 Witr after Isha if missed would have to be made up.
If one does not know the exact type and number of missed (qadha) Salaah, then one should apply one’s mind and make an honest estimation of the missed fard and witr Salaah and make up for them. It is advisable to make an over estimate to be sure. One doesn’t need to know the dates of qadah Salaah. The intention should be of for example first qadah Salaah of Fajr. Once the Fajr has been performed, the next Fajr will be the first qadah of Fajr. The same procedure should be done for all missed Salaahs respectively.[1]
In order to make up for the missed fasts, you must calculate the number of fasts you have missed from the age of maturity. If you are not able to come to an exact number, you may make an estimation. Once you have done so, begin making up the fasts.
The method which you will adopt, is for every missed fast, make the intention that this is the fast of the first month of Ramadhan that was missed. You may continue with this intention until you have total conviction that you have completed all the qadha fasts of Ramadhan.[2]
However, if your statement “If I broke any” refers to deliberately breaking the fasts during Ramadhan (i.e. by eating, drinking, etc.), then you are required to compensate with one kaffarah (expiation) in addition to the qadha fasts. Kaffarah is to observe fast for sixty consecutive days.[3]
Seek tawbah and forgiveness from Allah Ta’ala for the missed fasts and Salaah.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Arshad Ali
Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom (Trinidad)
www.fatwa-tt.com /www.jaamia.net
[1] اى و يسقط الترتيب بالنسيان و هو عدم تذكر الشئ وقت حاجته و هو عذر سماوى مسقط للتكليف (البحر ج2 ص83 سعيد) و كذا فى (الرد المحتار ج2 ص68 سعيد)
[2] وإذا كثرت الفوائت يحتاج لتعيين كل صلاة] ۔۔۔۔۔۔[ فإن أراد تسهيل الأمر عليه نوى أول ظهر عليه] أدرك وقته ولم يصله فإذا نواه كذلك فيما يصليه يصير أولا فيصح بمثل ذلك وهكذا [أو] إن شاء نوى [آخره] فيقول أصلي آخر ظهر أدركته ولم أصله بعد فإذا فعل كذلك فيما يليه يصير آخرا بالنظر لما قبله فيحصل التعيين۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔[ وكذا الصوم] الذي عليه [من رمضانين] إذا أراد قضاءه يفعل مثل هذا
[3] ولو تكرر فطره ولم يكفر للأول تكفيه واحدة ولو في رمضانين عند محمد وعليه الاعتماد بزازية ومجتبى وغيرهما
[حاشية الطحطاوى على مراقي الفلاح ج2 ص327 مكتبة الاسد][الدر المختار ج2 ص413 سعيد
