Fatwa ID: 08982
Answered by Maulana Iqtidar Ahmed
Question:
As salamu alaikum, is there any leeway to leave sunnah muakkadah prayers to fulfill 3-4 years of qadha prayers? Especially for those who struggle to pray even the muakkadah.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
First of all, may we commend you on your resolve to make up your missed prayers, and may Allah ﷻ make things easy for you.
As for the question, strictly speaking the Hanafi madhab requires one to pray all their sunnah muakkadahs in addition to the Qada. [1] However, practically speaking, if one is struggling, it makes sense to give the Qada preference, at least temporarily. One suggestion is to keep the Fajr sunnah and Witr so one does not give up all the sunnah muakkadahs, and replace the others with Qada, the easiest being 1 Qada with 1 Fard Ada (performed on time) prayer.
In the broader Islamic tradition, many scholars affirm and some even say one must give preference to the Qada over the Sunnah prayers including the muakkadah. [2]
Thus, one should try their best to first prioritise the on-time prayers, then Qada prayers and then the Sunnahs as much as they can.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Maulana Iqtidar Ahmed
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
قدمنا في قضاء الفوائت كراهته إلا في الرواتب والرغائب .
Ibn Abidin, Radd Al-Muhtar Ala Ad-Durr Al-Mukhtar, vol 2, p.421, Kitab As-Sawm (Dar Al-Fikr).
[2]
الشافعية قالوا: يحرم على من عليه فوائت يجب عليه قضاؤها فوراً، وقد تقدم ما يجب فيه الفور – أن يشتغل بصلاة التطوع مطلقاً، سواء كانت راتبة أو غيرها حتى تبرأ ذمته من الفوائت.
Al-Jaziri, Al-Fiqh Ala Al-Madhahib Al-Arba’ah, vol 1, p.446, Kitab As-Salah (Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiya).