Question Summary:
What are the substantiations for making up missed prayers?

Question Detail:

 Lately some of my family members have told me that in Islam there is no concept of Qadha Namaz, & it is being invented post Huzoor's (PBUH)death. If we miss a Salat we should only be asking for forgiveness.
I am confused as some people have told me earlier that even if you ask for forgiveness we still have to complete our number of Rakhts for our given life which would be counted on the day of Judgement before entring Jannah. Can you please help me with this problem also it would be great if you can give some Quran or Hadith references.
 

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.


Consider the following two narrations of Bukhārī Sharīf where Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam and his Sahābah made Qadhā for missed Salāhs:
 
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: سِرْنَا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْلَةً، فَقَالَ: بَعْضُ القَوْمِ: لَوْ عَرَّسْتَ بِنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: «أَخَافُ أَنْ تَنَامُوا عَنِ الصَّلاَةِ» قَالَ بِلاَلٌ: أَنَا أُوقِظُكُمْ، فَاضْطَجَعُوا، وَأَسْنَدَ بِلاَلٌ ظَهْرَهُ إِلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ، فَغَلَبَتْهُ عَيْنَاهُ فَنَامَ، فَاسْتَيْقَظَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَقَدْ طَلَعَ حَاجِبُ الشَّمْسِ، فَقَالَ: «يَا بِلاَلُ، أَيْنَ مَا قُلْتَ؟» قَالَ: مَا أُلْقِيَتْ عَلَيَّ نَوْمَةٌ مِثْلُهَا قَطُّ، قَالَ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَبَضَ أَرْوَاحَكُمْ حِينَ شَاءَ، وَرَدَّهَا عَلَيْكُمْ حِينَ شَاءَ، يَا بِلاَلُ، قُمْ فَأَذِّنْ بِالنَّاسِ بِالصَّلاَةِ» فَتَوَضَّأَ، فَلَمَّا ارْتَفَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ وَابْيَاضَّتْ، قَامَ فَصَلَّى (صحيح البخارى، رقم الحديث 595)
 
Abū Qatādah Radhiyallāhu Anhu narrates, “One night we were traveling with Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam when someone asked Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam, “Why do we stop to take a rest?” Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi  Wa Sallam replied, “ I fear that you will oversleep and miss Salāh. Hadhrat Bilāl Radhiyallāhu Anhu proposed saying, “I will awaken all of you.” Hence, they went to sleep. As Bilāl Radhiyallāhu Anhu reclined his back towards his conveyance, his eyes became heavy and he (also) fell asleep.


When a portion of the sun had arisen, Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam awakened and said, “O Bilāl, what happened to what you said?” Bilāl Radhiyallāhu Anhu replied, “Such sleep was placed upon me that I had never experienced before!? Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam said, “Indeed Allāh takes possession of the souls whenever He wills and He returns the souls to you whenever He wills. O Bilāl, stand up and call the Adhān for Salāh.” He then performed Wudhū. Upon sunrise, when the sun became white, he stood up and performed Salāh.” (Sahīh al-Bukhārī, Hadīth No. 595)
 
أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الخَطَّابِ، جَاءَ يَوْمَ الخَنْدَقِ، بَعْدَ مَا غَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَجَعَلَ يَسُبُّ كُفَّارَ قُرَيْشٍ، قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا كِدْتُ أُصَلِّي العَصْرَ، حَتَّى كَادَتِ الشَّمْسُ تَغْرُبُ، قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «وَاللَّهِ مَا صَلَّيْتُهَا» فَقُمْنَا إِلَى بُطْحَانَ، فَتَوَضَّأَ لِلصَّلاَةِ وَتَوَضَّأْنَا لَهَا، فَصَلَّى العَصْرَ بَعْدَ مَا غَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ، ثُمَّ صَلَّى بَعْدَهَا المَغْرِبَ (صحيح البخارى، رقم الحديث 596)
 
Umar Radhiyallāhu Anhu approached Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam on the day of Khandaq (Day of the Trenches) after the sun had set. He was swearing the Kuffār of Quraish. He said, “O Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam, I did not perform Asr until the sun set.” Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam replied, “By Allāh, I have not performed Asr also.” Hence we stood up towards Buthān. Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam made Wudhū for Salāh and we also made Wudhū. Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam performed Asr after the sun had set. Then he performed Maghrib after that. (Sahīh al-Bukhārī, Hadīth No. 596)
 
It is clear from the above-mentioned narrations that it is necessary for one who has missed his Salāh to make up for it by performing it later. Merely making Tawbah (repentance) is not sufficient. This is also clear in books of Jurisprudence.[1]
 
If one did not make up for missed Salāhs during his lifetime, it is necessary for him to make a bequest of a Fidyah for each Salāh missed (including Witr).[2] A Fidyah is approximately 1.6 kg of wheat or its monetary equivalent (the same amount payable as Sadaqah al-Fitr) given to a needy person.[3]   
 
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Abdul Azīm bin Abdur Rahman,
Student Darul Iftaa
U.S.A.
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.