The Book of the Times (of Prayer) - Sunan an-Nasa'i

Hadith Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 618

Text of the Hadith

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "If you forget a prayer, pray it when you remember it, for Allah says: 'and perform the Salah for My remembrance.'" [Ta-Ha 20:14]

Scholarly Commentary

This noble hadith establishes a fundamental principle in Islamic jurisprudence regarding missed prayers. The Prophet (ﷺ) provides clear guidance that when a Muslim forgets to perform a prayer at its prescribed time, the obligation remains and must be fulfilled upon remembrance.

The wisdom behind this ruling is profound: it demonstrates Allah's mercy by providing a means to rectify unintentional omissions. Forgetfulness, being an inherent human trait, does not absolve one from religious duties but merely delays their performance.

The Prophet's reference to the Quranic verse "and perform the Salah for My remembrance" (20:14) beautifully connects the compensatory prayer to its ultimate purpose - the remembrance of Allah. This indicates that even when made up later, the prayer retains its spiritual significance and function.

Classical scholars emphasize that this ruling applies specifically to forgotten prayers, distinguishing them from intentionally delayed prayers which carry different legal considerations. The phrase "when you remember it" indicates immediate performance without unnecessary delay, reflecting the urgency of fulfilling this divine obligation.

Legal Implications

According to the majority of scholars, this hadith establishes that making up missed prayers is obligatory (wajib). The compensatory prayer should be performed exactly as it would have been in its original time, with all its conditions and pillars intact.

The ruling applies to all five daily prayers equally, whether missed due to forgetfulness, sleep, or other legitimate reasons that prevent timely performance. This demonstrates the comprehensive nature of Islamic law in accommodating human circumstances while maintaining religious obligations.