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How to Make Up Missed Prayers (Qada): A Simple Guide

What qada prayer is, how to calculate how many prayers you owe, and a realistic plan to make up missed prayers without feeling overwhelmed.

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Short answer

Qada means praying an obligatory prayer after its time has passed, and the majority of scholars hold that missed prayers must be made up: a prayer missed through sleep or forgetfulness as soon as you remember it, and a deliberately missed prayer along with sincere repentance. Secure your five daily prayers first, estimate how many you owe, then make up a steady amount each day, such as one extra set of five.

Missing prayers is something many Muslims carry quietly. Maybe you overslept, maybe a busy season pushed salah aside, or maybe you went years without praying regularly. Whatever the reason, the door back is open. Making up missed prayers, known as qada, is part of that path back.

This guide explains what qada is, what scholars say about it, and how to build a realistic plan to catch up.

This article is a general guide. Rulings vary between schools of thought (madhabs) and personal circumstances, so please consult a qualified scholar or your local imam for guidance on your specific situation.

What is qada prayer?

Qada means performing an obligatory prayer after its time has passed. It is different from ada, which is performing a prayer within its time.

The basis for qada comes from the Prophet ﷺ, who said: "Whoever forgets a prayer or sleeps through it, its expiation is to pray it when he remembers" (Sahih Muslim 684; a similar narration is in Sahih al-Bukhari 597).

Do you have to make up prayers you missed on purpose?

Scholars distinguish between two situations.

Missed due to sleep or forgetfulness

There is broad agreement that a prayer missed because you slept through it or genuinely forgot should be prayed as soon as you remember or wake up. There is no sin in the oversight itself, but the prayer should be made up promptly.

Missed deliberately

The majority of scholars, including the four major madhabs, hold that deliberately missed prayers remain a debt that must be made up, alongside sincere repentance (tawbah).

A minority of scholars held that a deliberately missed prayer cannot be "made up" in the same way, and that the person should repent sincerely and increase in voluntary (nafl) prayers instead.

Either way, both views agree on repentance and returning to regular prayer. Most people follow the majority view and make up what they missed, which is also the more cautious approach.

Step 1: Repent and restart your current prayers

Before worrying about the past, secure the present. Make sincere tawbah: regret what was missed, ask Allah's forgiveness, and resolve not to return to it. Then commit to praying all five daily prayers on time, starting today.

Making up old prayers while still missing new ones is like bailing water from a boat with a hole in it. Fix the hole first. Our guide on praying five times a day consistently can help.

Step 2: How many prayers do you owe?

If you know exactly what you missed, write it down. If you missed prayers over months or years, make a reasonable, cautious estimate:

  1. Work out roughly when you became responsible for prayer (puberty).
  2. Estimate the periods when you were not praying regularly.
  3. Convert that into days. One day equals five obligatory prayers (some madhabs, such as the Hanafi school, also include Witr).

For example, if you estimate you missed about two years of prayers:

Period missed Days Prayers owed
1 month ~30 150
6 months ~182 910
1 year ~365 1,825
2 years ~730 3,650

When unsure, scholars generally advise estimating on the higher side until you are reasonably confident the debt is covered. Women do not make up prayers missed during menstruation or post-natal bleeding, so those days are excluded.

Step 3: How many qada prayers should you pray each day?

Large numbers can feel crushing. The key is to break them into a daily routine:

  • One extra set per day: pray one qada of each prayer alongside your daily prayers. That is one full day made up each day; a year of missed prayers takes about a year.
  • Two sets per day: double the pace and halve the time.
  • Pair it with your daily prayers: for example, pray the qada Fajr right after your current Fajr, the qada Dhuhr after Dhuhr, and so on.

Choose a pace you can maintain for months. The hadith about consistency applies here too: steady and small is better than ambitious and abandoned.

How do you pray a qada prayer?

A qada prayer is performed the same way as the original prayer, with the same number of rakats:

  • Fajr: 2 rakats
  • Dhuhr: 4 rakats
  • Asr: 4 rakats
  • Maghrib: 3 rakats
  • Isha: 4 rakats

Make the intention for the specific prayer you are making up, for example, "the earliest Dhuhr I owe." If you missed a prayer while travelling, scholars differ on whether it is made up shortened; ask a scholar about your situation.

Note that many scholars discourage praying voluntary prayers at certain times (such as right after Fajr until the sun has risen, and after Asr until sunset), but there are differing views on whether this applies to qada. Again, follow the guidance of your madhab.

Step 4: Track your progress

When you owe hundreds or thousands of prayers, tracking is essential. Keep a simple count in a notebook or spreadsheet, and subtract each prayer you make up. Watching the number go down is genuinely motivating.

For your daily prayers, an app like Salah Home helps you stay consistent going forward. Each prayer you log builds your streak and earns Dates for your home, so the gap does not grow again while you work through the past.

Is it too late to make up missed prayers?

If you are reading this because you want to make up years of missed prayers, that desire itself is a sign of good. Allah's mercy is greater than any number on a spreadsheet. Start today, keep it steady, and trust that every prayer counts.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to make up prayers I missed years ago?

The majority of scholars, including the four major madhabs, hold that missed obligatory prayers remain owed and should be made up, along with sincere repentance. A minority held that deliberately missed prayers cannot be made up and call instead for repentance and extra voluntary prayer. Ask a scholar you trust about your situation.

How do I calculate how many prayers I owe?

Estimate how long, since puberty, you were not praying regularly, convert that into days, and multiply by five (the Hanafi school also counts Witr). If unsure, estimate on the higher side. Women do not make up prayers missed during menstruation or post-natal bleeding.

Can I pray qada prayers at any time of day?

Many scholars allow making up obligatory prayers at any time, while the Hanafi school does not allow them at sunrise, when the sun is at its zenith, or at sunset. Follow the guidance of your madhab.

Do I need to make up the sunnah prayers too?

Generally, no. It is the obligatory (fard) prayers that are made up, not the accompanying sunnah prayers.

Is a qada prayer prayed differently from the original?

No. A qada prayer has the same number of rakats as the prayer you missed: 2 for Fajr, 4 for Dhuhr, 4 for Asr, 3 for Maghrib and 4 for Isha. Make the intention for the specific prayer you are making up, such as "the earliest Dhuhr I owe."

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