Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
- بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind
Short Answer
Yes, you can make up the Sunnahs of Fajr if you miss them along with the Fard prayer. If you miss the Sunnah Rakahs alone then you do not make them up according to the strongest opinion in the Hanafi Madhab.
Hadith
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: عَرَّسْنَا مَعَ نَبِيِّ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَلَمْ نَسْتَيْقِظْ حَتَّى طَلَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: لِيَأْخُذْ كُلُّ رَجُلٍ بِرَأْسِ رَاحِلَتِهِ، فَإِنَّ هَذَا مَنْزِلٌ حَضَرَنَا فِيهِ الشَّيْطَانُ. قَالَ: فَفَعَلْنَا، ثُمَّ دَعَا بِالْمَاءِ فَتَوَضَّأَ، ثُمَّ سَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ، وَقَالَ يَعْقُوبُ: ثُمَّ صَلَّى سَجْدَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَصَلَّى الْغَدَاةَAbu Hurairah (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) said, we camped with the Prophet of Allah ﷺ but did not awake till the sun rose. The Prophet ﷺ said: Let everyone take his animal (and leave), for this is a place where Shaytan has been present with us. We did accordingly. He ﷺ then called for water and performed ablution (Wudu) and performed two Rakahs. Ya’qub said: Then he prayed two Rakahs. Then Iqaamah was made for prayer and he ﷺ offered the morning prayer (Fajr). (Sahih Muslim, 680 – 310)
In the authentic Hadith above, it is clearly mentioned that the blessed Prophet ﷺ prayed two Rakahs prior to the Fard of Fajr when it was missed. This is the position of the Hanafi Madhab. They say that a person should make up the Sunnahs of Fajr as well as the Fard if the prayer is missed. However, there are details to this ruling which should be studied thoroughly in a Fiqh of Salah class.
Classical scholars
(ولا يَقْضِيها) أي سنة الفجر عندهما (إلاَّ تَبَعاً لِفَرْضِهِ) قبل الزوال بالاتفاق، وبعده أيضاً عند بعض مشايخ ما وراء النهر. وقال محمد: يقضيها وحدها أيضاً قبل الزوال. (فتح باب العناية بشرح النقاية)
And he does not make it up. Meaning the Sunnah of Fajr. This is according to them both (Imams Abu Hanifah and Abu Yusuf). Unless (done so) alongside his Fard, and before noon by agreement. And after it according to some of the scholars of Transoxiana. (Imam) Muhammad said: He also makes it up alone before Zawal. (Imam Ali al-Qari, Fath Bab al-Inayah).
Difference of opinion
As seen in the Nass (text) above, there is some difference of opinion amongst Hanafi scholars when it comes to the details of making up the Sunnah of Fajr. Imams Abu Hanifah and Abu Yusuf only considered it valid to make up the Sunnahs of Fajr when the entire prayer had been missed. Whereas Imam Muhammad permitted making up the Sunnahs of Fajr even if the Fard was prayed on time.
Therefore, a person who did prayer Fajr on time but did not pray the Sunnahs before it, can make up the Sunnahs of Fajr after sunrise, according to Imam Muhammad. Although Imams Abu Hanifah and Abu Yusuf do not consider the make up of Fajr Sunnahs valid in that case. They hold that you can only make up the Sunnahs of Fajr if you missed the complete prayer. Meaning one missed the Fard and Sunnah Rakahs of Fajr.
Against the norm
Making up the Sunnahs of Fajr is against the norm in the Hanafi Madhab. The standard ruling is that Sunnah prayers are not made up after the particular prayer time has expired. However, there is a limitation with making up the Sunnahs of Fajr. One can only make up the Sunnahs of Fajr if the missed Fajr prayer is made up before Zawal time.
Making up prayers
Unfortunately, there are many people in our time that are discouraging people from making up prayers that have been missed. The Hadith above is one of numerous clear proofs that prayers do have to be made up if missed. Therefore, this misconception must be opposed. Muslims should strive never to miss prayers. But if they do miss one then the prayer must be made up.
Not immediately after sunrise
It is important to note that praying after sunrise does not mean immediately after it. Since the Prophet ﷺ prohibited praying immediately after sunrise. So, all references to praying after sunrise above must be understood in light of this prophetic prohibition. Whether one missed the Fard prayer or the Sunnah prayer, it cannot be made up immediately after sunrise. One will have to wait until it rises high before praying.
Conclusion
The strongest opinion in the Hanafi Madhab only permits one to make up the Sunnahs of Fajr if the Fard was missed too. This is the opinion of Imams Abu Hanifah and Abu Yusuf. Therefore, someone who prayed the Fard on time but missed the Sunnahs of Fajr, is not to make them up after sunrise.
Additionally, if one does not make up the Fajr prayer before Zawal of the same day, then he prays the Fard alone. In such a case he does not pray the Sunnahs. Therefore, Sunnahs of Fajr are only made up if the entire prayer was missed and then made up before Zawal.
And Allah Most High Knows Best.
–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (28.02.24)
