Making Up for Missed Prayers and Fasts
21-12-2025 | IslamWeb
Question:
Salam, I did not pray or fast all my life until I was 22. I’ve heard mixed opinions on how to make up these days and prayers or if I even have to at all. I’m scared I will have to make up the missed fasts by feeding 1 poor person per day because that will require me to tell my father that I faked fasting all my life and now he has to pay for around 400 missed days for me since I live in his care. Does he have to bear the burden of my sin? Can I just repent only for the missed fasts and prayers?
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad (
) is His slave and Messenger.
We ask Allah to accept your repentance and to keep you firm upon the truth.
Furthermore, you should know that abandoning prayer and fasting is among the most dangerous of sins; whoever abandons them out of laziness and negligence is on the brink of destruction unless Allah rescues him with His Kindness and Mercy, leading him to repent. And indeed, you have repented to your Lord for your negligence regarding these two great pillars.
The majority of scholars hold that it is obligatory to make up for the prayers and fasts that you missed, and this should be done according to your ability and in a manner that does not harm your livelihood.
As for the obligation of Kaffarah (expiation) due to that, it is a matter of scholarly disagreement, and the ruling we give you is that no expiation is required of you. However, increase in performing righteous deeds, for indeed good deeds erase bad deeds.
In fact, some scholars, such as Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (
) do not consider making up obligatory in this case; rather, they say that one should only increase in doing good deeds.
So, remain steadfast in performing acts of obedience, and beware of neglecting the prayer, for it is the pillar of the religion, as is fasting the month of Ramadan. Whoever repents, Allah accepts his repentance; rather, He rejoices over the repentance of His servant and replaces the bad deeds of the one who repents and does righteous deeds with good deeds. So, place yourself in exposure to His mercy and generosity.
May Allah grant success to us and to you in that which He loves and is pleased with.
Allah Knows best.