Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother

If any one forgets to do the Fajr salah for the whole day and he got to know that after he finished his Witr Preyer in the late night (as per Hadhess) which is the last prayer of the day,Then should he wait for fajr adhan in the next morning to pray the last day's fajr or should he pray that as soon as he got remembered?

Jazaaqallah Khair

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Forget prayer when to pray

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Whoever sleeps through or has forgotten to pray a certain prayer should pray it when he wakes up or remembers the prayer. Abu Qatadah related that sleeping through the prayer time was mentioned to the Prophet (saws) and he said, "There is no negligence in sleep, but negligence occurs while one is awake. If one of you forgets a prayer or sleeps through its time, then he should pray it when he remembers it."

Related by an-Nasa'i and at-Tirmidhi.

Anas related that the Prophet (saws) said, "Whoever forgets a prayer should pray it when he remembers it, and there is no expiation for it save that."

Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

If one remembers that they have missed their obligatory ‘fajr’ prayer before they have offered the ‘witr’ prayer, then obviously it would be best if they offered their missed ‘fajr’ prayer before they pray the ‘witr’ prayer as the last prayer of their night.

But if perchance one remembers that one has missed the offering of one’s obligatory ‘fajr’ (dawn) prayer only after one has already performed one’s ‘witr’ prayer, there is absolutely no harm if one offers one’s missed ‘fajr’ prayer, even though one might have offered the ‘witr’ prayer as the last prayer of the night……for the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘Whoever forgets a prayer should pray it when he remembers it, and there is no expiation for it save that.’

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.112 Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar

The Prophet (saws) said, "Make Witr as your last prayer at night."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) indeed guided the believers to make the ‘witr’ the last prayers of the night. What is absolutely discouraged is that one make it a habit to offer prayers after the ‘witr’ prayer…..but if perchance one has missed some prayers, and remembers them only after one has offered their ‘witr’ prayers….there is absolutely no harm in offering those missed obligatory prayers even after one has already offered their ‘witr’ prayers.

The only times where one should absolutely abstain from offering prayers are:

Amr ibn 'Abbas related that he said, "O Prophet of Allah (saws), inform me about the prayers." He (saws) said, "Pray the morning (fajr) prayer, and then abstain from prayer until sunrise and the sun has completely risen, for it rises between the horns of Shaitaan. That is when the disbelievers prostrate to it. Then pray, as your prayer will be witnessed and attended to until the shadow of a spear becomes less than its length (zawaal time). At that time stop praying, for at that time the hell-fire is fed with fuel. When the shade comes, you may pray (dhuhr), for your prayer will be witnessed and attended (to by Angels) until you pray the afternoon (Asr) prayer. Then abstain from praying until the sun sets, for its sets between the horns of theShaitaan, and that is when the disbelievers make prostrations to it."

Related by Ahmad and Muslim.

One is at absolute liberty to perform any prayer unto their Lord as any time they will and please except three:

1. When the sun is actually in the process of rising from the easterly horizon until it has completely risen.
2. When the sun is at its exact zenith at noon-time.
3. When the sun is actually in the process of setting in the horizon until it has completely set and ‘Magrib’ time has begun.

Other than the above three specifically prohibited times, one should offer their missed prayers whenever they remember it.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan