Dar al-Ifta Ahl al-Sunnah
Mufti Hashim Khan Attari al-Madani
1. What is the method of making up missed Sunnah salah?
Question: What do scholars of Islam say regarding the following matter:
A. If there is not enough time before congregation begins to complete Sunnah salah, what is the ruling? Should the Sunnah prayer be offered then or after the congregational salah?
B. How should a pre-farḍ Sunnah prayer be made up if it is missed?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
A. Except for the Sunnah of fajr, the general rule for all pre-farḍ Sunnah salah is that if the person praying knows he will be able to join the congregation before the imam completes the bowing (rukūꜤ) of the first unit, he should perform the Sunnah before joining the congregation. Yet, if he has a strong presumption, he will miss the bowing of the first unit due to offering Sunnah, he should leave the Sunnah and join the congregation instead.
As for the Sunnah of fajr, if a person knows he will be able to join the congregation even in the final sitting (qꜤada) with the imam, he should perform the Sunnah before joining the congregation. If he fears the congregation will end, he should leave the Sunnah and join instead.
Note: If you are offering the pre-farḍ Sunnah of any salah that cannot be completed before the congregation begins, perform it at the back of the masjid or offer it at home before arrival. Do not perform it standing between the rows or directly behind the congregation without a barrier in between.
B. If the pre-farḍ Sunnah of fajr is missed, it can be performed 20 minutes after sunrise up until zawwāl (midday), and it is mustaḥabb to offer them. If the four units of pre-farḍ Sunnah of ẓuhr are missed, they can be made up after performing the farḍ salah and two units of Sunnah. If you wish, you can perform the four units of Sunnah first then the two units of Sunnah, but the first method is preferred.
If the pre-farḍ Sunnah of Ꜥishāˈ is missed, performing it after the farḍ will not be considered Sunnah, but a voluntary prayer (nafl). As for the Sunnah of Ꜥaṣr, it cannot be performed after the farḍ if it is missed.
If the pre-farḍ Sunnah of Ꜥasr or Ꜥishāˈ are missed, they can no longer be performed as Sunnah, as the ruling regarding these Sunnah salah is that they cannot be made up. Due to textual evidence (naṣṣ), only the Sunnah of fajr can be made up on the same day before zawwāl, whilst the pre-farḍ Sunnah of ẓuhr can be made up after the farḍ but before the prayer time ends.
Apart from these, there is no making up (qaḍā) of other Sunnah prayers. If the Sunnah before Ꜥishāˈ is performed after the farḍ, it will be considered a mustaḥabb salah. As for the Sunnah of Ꜥaṣr, it is impermissible to perform it after the farḍ, as nafl prayers cannot be performed after Ꜥasr.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
2. Giving a verbal cue in Urdu during the prayer
Question: What do scholars of Islam say regarding the following matter: an imam was supposed to lead four units of farḍ, but he concluded prayer after two. After salam, a muqtadī (one praying behind the imam) said, “Imam, you have only performed two units.” The imam was reminded by this verbal cue, so he stood up immediately, completed the four units, and then performed sajda al-sahw (prostration of forgetfulness). What is the ruling of this salah?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
In the described scenario, the prayer of the imam as well as the followers is invalid. When the imam performed salam after two units, the imam and followers were still within the ruling of prayer. Yet, the salah of the one who gave the verbal cue (luqma) was invalidated, as speaking during salah invalidates it, even if it is done to correct it.
His verbal reminder is like that of a person outside the salah giving a cue, and accepting a prompt from someone outside salah invalidates it. Since the imam took the cue, the salah of the imam and all followers became invalid. They must repeat it.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
3. Smearing birthday cake on someone’s face
Question: What do scholars of Islam say regarding the following matter: there is a new trend nowadays that when it is someone’s birthday, their friends smear a cake on that person’s face. They then smear it on each other’s faces, and a significant amount of food is wasted. Similarly on birthdays, friends buy eggs and throw them at the person whose birthday it is, enjoying the act. Is such behaviour permissible in Islam? What is the ruling regarding the people who partake in such actions?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Friends smearing cake on each other’s faces and throwing eggs is a waste of property, which is iṣrāf (wastage). This is haram. Also, smearing cream on the face in such a way that it causes the face to change is impermissible, due to it being a form of disfigurement.
Likewise, this sin contains risk of other sins, such as causing harm to other Muslims. If a Muslim celebrates a birthday while avoiding silly and impermissible matters (music, unveiling etc.), it is permissible. Rather, it is better to treat family and relatives kindly, feed good food to Muslims, and give charity with good intentions. If possible, fast and perform optional prayers to thank Allah Almighty for the blessing of life. By doing all these righteous deeds, one will earn reward. Throwing something onto the ground in such a way that it cannot be used for any purpose is iṣrāf.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
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