What Is Qada Prayer and How Is It Performed?

A qada (make-up) prayer is an obligatory or required prayer that could not be prayed in its time and is performed afterwards. Prayers missed due to sleep, forgetfulness or a valid excuse remain as a debt and should be repaid at the first opportunity. This is a way for the servant to make up an outstanding duty of worship to the Lord.

What it is and which prayers are made up

A prayer performed after its time has passed is called qada, while one performed within its time is called ada. The five daily obligatory prayers and the witr prayer are made up. Most missed sunnah prayers do not require making up; however, a person remains responsible for making up the obligatory prayers they missed.

How the make-up prayer is performed

A qada prayer is performed exactly like the on-time prayer, with the same number of units and the same manner; the only difference is in the intention. One inwardly specifies which prayer is being made up, for example intending to pray the obligatory part of a missed dawn prayer. Except for the disliked (makruh) times, a make-up prayer may be performed at any time, day or night.

The question of order and sequence

Scholars differ on the sequence in which missed prayers are performed. According to one view, when the number is small, order must be kept between the on-time and the make-up prayer, but this condition of sequence lapses once the number of missed prayers becomes large. In practice a person may strive to pray past prayers in a suitable arrangement, as far as possible in order.

A practical plan to catch up

Make a realistic schedule for the prayers you have missed: alongside the five daily prayers you can pray a few make-up units each day. For instance, praying one make-up prayer of the same kind after each obligatory prayer gradually clears the debt. What matters is to continue steadily without despair, persevering together with sincere repentance; you can keep your routine by following your prayer times through our site.