Fatwa #265414 April 2001United Kingdom
How can we compensate for the fasts and salaat we missed many years ago?
Question
1)because i did not know much about islam when i was 12 (the time i became mature)till only recently (im now 19), i missed out on salaats and fasts. how can i make up for them. also, the fasts i missed out during the time of my periods, i thought i could make up for them by giving money to the poor, until recently i read from your site that a women cannot do that.so what am i suppose to do now cos in all those years i gave moeny to the poor and now i dont even know how many fasts i have missed out altogther. 2)how is it possible for a women to make up the salaats she missed during her periods. it would make her tired and worn out,and u may say she can make some of them up on different days, but by then, her period will be due again, so as the days go by,the number of missed salaats will go up again and again, making it even more difficult for her to make up for them.
Answer
Respected Sister-in-Islam%0D%0A%0D%0AAssalaamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakaatuhu%0D%0A%0D%0AMaa shaa Allah, your concern for your Qadhaas (completion of the missed%0D%0Afasts and Salaats) is commendable. May Allah Ta'ala make it easy for you to%0D%0Afulfil it.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe manner of completion is as follows:%0D%0Aa) Calculate the number of Fardh Salaats only missed from the time you%0D%0Abecame mature up till now. The Witr Salaats is also included (6 Salaats per%0D%0Aday = 190 Salaats per months = 64,800 per year)%0D%0Ab) Deduct the Salaats missed during the 'monthly cycle' as there is no Qadha%0D%0Afor the Salaat missed during the monthly cycle. Try and determine the number%0D%0Aof the missed Salaats.%0D%0Ac) The number of fasts missed from the age of maturity should be calculated%0D%0Aand completed.%0D%0Ad) The money that you had paid will not suffice for the completion, rather,%0D%0Ait will count as optional charity for which you will be rewarded, Insha%0D%0AAllah.%0D%0A%0D%0AWord of Advice%0D%0ADear sister, thank Allah for giving you the concern to complete your missed%0D%0Afasts and Salaats. Allah Ta'ala wants to bring you closer to him. How would%0D%0Ayou face Allah on the day of Qiyaamat should you pass away without making%0D%0Athe Qadhaas. The big figures that you might see should not break your%0D%0Acourage. Rather, Shaytaan is going to work on your mind harder now to take%0D%0Ayou away from this great step that you would be taking towards getting%0D%0Acloser to Allah Ta'ala.%0D%0A%0D%0AAn easy method of fulfilling your Qadhaas is that from now on and after each%0D%0AFardh Salaat of the day, read one Qadhaa Slaats of the same kind, e.g. after%0D%0Ayou discharge the Dhuhr of today, just read one Dhuhr Qadhaa Salaat of just%0D%0A4 Rakaats. There is no Qadhaa for the Sunnats and Nafls missed. Look at how%0D%0Amerciful Allah is!!! Your intention will be as follows: 'I intend making%0D%0AQadhaa of my missed Salaat.'%0D%0A%0D%0AIf you are in a habit of reading Nafl Salaat, rather perform your Qadhaa%0D%0ASalaats instead. This is your priority. Make maximum use of the big nights,%0D%0Abig days, etc. that fall during the course of the year. For your Qadhaa%0D%0Afasts, try and fast once or twice a week and complete it.%0D%0A%0D%0ALastly, make lots of Du'aa to Allah Ta'ala to make it easy for you, for He%0D%0Ais the solution to all our matters.%0D%0A%0D%0Aand Allah Ta'ala Knows Best%0D%0A%0D%0AMufti Ebrahim Desai%0D%0AFATWA DEPT.%0D%0A%0D%0A