How to Pray Missed (Qaza) Prayers — Step by Step Guide

What Is Qaza Prayer?

Qaza (or kaza) prayer refers to performing an obligatory (fard) prayer after its prescribed time has passed. All four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence (Hanafi, Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali) agree that missed fard prayers must be made up.

Deliberately missing a prayer is considered a major sin. However, prayers missed due to sleep, forgetfulness, or a legitimate excuse must be made up as soon as possible. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever forgets a prayer or sleeps through it, let them pray it when they remember it. There is no other expiation for it.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

Who Must Make Them Up?

Making up missed prayers is obligatory for every Muslim who meets these conditions:

• Sound mind: A person who was unconscious or mentally incapacitated is not required to make up missed prayers (Hanafi view).
• Reached puberty: Children who have not reached puberty are not obligated to pray.
• Muslim: A new Muslim is not required to make up prayers from before accepting Islam.

Which Prayers Are Made Up?

Only fard (obligatory) prayersare made up: Fajr (2 rak'ah), Dhuhr (4 rak'ah), Asr (4 rak'ah), Maghrib (3 rak'ah), and Isha (4 rak'ah).

According to the Hanafi school, Witris also considered wajib (necessary) and must be made up. In the Shafi'i school, Witr is sunnah and does not need to be made up.

Sunnah prayers are not made up, except the Fajr sunnah which can be prayed until Dhuhr time.

How to Make the Intention

When making the intention (niyyah) for qaza prayer, it is sufficient to intend in your heart which specific prayer you are making up. You do not need to know the exact date.

• Many missed prayers:“I intend to pray the fard of the first (or last) missed Fajr prayer.”
• Known specific day:“I intend to pray the fard of the Dhuhr prayer that I missed on [that day].”

Step by Step Guide

Qaza prayer is performed exactly like the regular prayer. The only difference is the intention specifying it as “qaza.”

1. Make wudu (ablution)

Perform regular ablution. If in a state of major impurity, ghusl is required.

2. Face the qibla

Facing the qibla is obligatory for qaza prayers as well. You can find your qibla direction using our Qibla tool.

3. Make the intention

Intend in your heart which specific missed prayer you are making up.

4. Begin with the opening takbir

Say “Allahu Akbar” to start the prayer, raising your hands.

5. Pray normally

Perform the standing, bowing, prostration, and sitting as you would in a regular prayer. The number of rak'ah is the same as the fard of that prayer.

6. Give salam

Complete the prayer by turning your head to the right and left, saying the salam.

Order of Qaza Prayers

In the Hanafi school, if fewer than six prayers have accumulated, tartib (order) is required: make up the missed prayers before praying the current obligatory prayer. When six or more accumulate, this order is lifted.

Other schools do not require a strict order but encourage making them up promptly. For long-term debts, scholars typically recommend intending “the first missed Fajr I owe” and working through them sequentially. Our prayer calculation guide can help you estimate your total debt.

Prohibited Times

In the Hanafi school, qaza of fard prayers can be performed even during disliked (makruh) times. Only voluntary (nafl) prayers are restricted. However, some scholars recommend avoiding these times as a precaution:

• While the sun is rising (approximately 40-45 minutes)
• When the sun is at its zenith (30-40 minutes before Dhuhr adhan)
• While the sun is setting (the last 40-45 minutes)

Check current prayer times in our prayer times guide.

Rulings for Women

Women are exempt from prayer during menstruation (hayd) and postpartum bleeding (nifas). Prayers missed during these periods are not made up. However, missed fasts must be made up.

This exemption significantly affects the calculation. An average woman may be exempt for approximately 60-72 days per year, reducing the yearly prayer debt by 300-360 prayers. Our calculation tool accounts for this automatically.

Practical Tips

• Start small: Begin with 1-2 qaza prayers per day. Consistency matters more than volume.
• Pair with current prayers: Pray one qaza before or after each current obligatory prayer.
• Track your progress: Digital tracking boosts motivation. Kaza Defteri is designed for exactly this purpose.
• Be patient: Years of debt will not be cleared in a day. Steady, consistent steps are what matter.
• Make du'a: Sincerely repent and ask Allah for ease while making up your prayers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can qaza prayers be prayed in congregation?

Yes. People making up the same qaza prayer can form a congregation. However, joining a congregation praying a current prayer with a qaza intention is debated among scholars.

Are sunnah prayers made up along with fard?

No. Only the fard portion is made up. Sunnah prayers do not carry a qaza obligation (except the Fajr sunnah, which can be prayed until Dhuhr).

Can qaza prayers be prayed at night?

Yes. Qaza prayers can be prayed at any time of day or night, with attention to the prohibited times mentioned above.

Can nafl be prayed instead of qaza?

No. When a person has qaza debt, praying qaza is more virtuous than praying voluntary prayers. This is the majority view of Hanafi scholars.

How do I calculate how many years of prayers I owe?

Consider the age you became accountable, when you started praying regularly, and your consistency ratio. Our calculation guide provides detailed instructions.

Are qaza prayers shortened during travel?

In the Hanafi school, prayers that were missed during travel are prayed as a traveler (2 rak'ah for 4-rak'ah prayers), while prayers missed as a resident are prayed in full (4 rak'ah).