What to do when a prayer is missed through sleep or forgetfulness, and where scholars differ about deliberately missed prayers.
AI-generated English narration.
Every Muslim can miss a prayer: a person may oversleep, or forget. The guidance of the Prophet ﷺ for this situation is short and clear: pray it when you remember it.
The guidance
Anas reported that the Prophet ﷺ said that if anyone forgets a prayer, he should pray it when he remembers it, and that there is no expiation for it except to pray it — and then he recited the words of the Qur’an about establishing prayer for the remembrance of Allah (Sahih al-Bukhari 597; also Sahih Muslim 684). The verse he recited is Ta-Ha 20:14, quoted below.
Practical steps
- Do not wait for the “next time” the prayer would normally be prayed: make it up when you wake up or remember.
- Pray it with the same number of rak‘ahs as the missed prayer would have had.
- Make a sincere intention to guard the prayers in future, and ask Allah for forgiveness for any negligence.
The reports above speak about sleep and forgetfulness. For a person who has missed prayers for a long period, or who missed them deliberately, the details are best learned from a knowledgeable teacher, because scholars differ.
Key points
- A prayer missed through forgetfulness or sleep is prayed as soon as it is remembered — there is no expiation other than praying it.
- The Qur’an links establishing the prayer with the remembrance of Allah, and the Prophet ﷺ recited that verse when giving this guidance.
- Scholars differ about a prayer missed deliberately: most say it must be made up and repented of, while a minority say it cannot be made up in the same way.
- Whether missed prayers must be made up in order is also a matter of difference between the schools.
Qur’an
“Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.”
Surah Taa-Haa (20) — 20:14
Hadith
Narrated Anas:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If anyone forgets a prayer he should pray that prayer when he remembers it. There is no expiation except to pray the same." Then he recited: "Establish prayer for My (i.e. Allah's) remembrance."
Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 597 .
Qatada reported from Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:He who forgets the prayer should say it when he remembers it, there is no explation for it, except this. Qatada said: (Allah says)" And observe prayer for remembrance of Me."
Sahih Muslim, no. 684 .
Hadith text and grading above are shown as supplied by their source. HikmahBridge does not grade Hadith itself. See Sources & Methodology.
Scholarly notes
Deliberately missed prayers: the majority of scholars, across the four schools, hold that a prayer missed on purpose must still be made up, together with sincere repentance. A minority of scholars hold that a prayer deliberately delayed beyond its time cannot be made up in the same way, and that the person should repent and increase in voluntary worship. Order: some schools require missed prayers to be made up in order and before the current prayer (with limits), while others do not. Follow the guidance of a qualified teacher for your situation.
FAQ
I missed many prayers years ago. What should I do?
Scholars generally advise sincere repentance and making the prayers up in a manageable way, following a teacher’s guidance on how to estimate and organise them. Because opinions vary, speak with a knowledgeable local teacher.
What if I wake up and the sun is already rising?
The guidance for a prayer missed through sleep is to pray it when you wake, without delay. Details of what to do at particular times of day vary between schools; ask your local teacher.
Report a correction. HikmahBridge is an educational resource, not a replacement for a qualified scholar or teacher.