One Who Goes to Sleep Before Performing Salah (Prayer) or Forgets

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘If you forget to perform Salah (prayer) or perform it without Wudu’ and miss Salah (prayers) which you must perform, begin with what is first. Say Adhan and ’Iqamah, then perform it, thereafter perform what is after this with just ‘Iqamah for every Salah (prayer).’ Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘If you have already performed al-Dhuhr, then remembered that you have missed the morning Salah (prayer), perform the morning Salah (prayer) in whatever hour you remember even if it is after al-‘Asr. Whenever you remember a Salah (prayer) that you have missed, perform it.’ Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘If you forget to perform al-Dhuhr until you perform al-‘Asr, then remember in the middle of Salah (prayer) or after you complete a Salah (prayer) consider it the first one (al-Dhuhr which is missed). Then perform al-‘Asr; it is a four Rak‘at in place of another four Rak‘at. If you remember that you have not performed the first one and you are in the middle of al-‘Asr from which you have performed only two Rak‘at consider it the first (al-Dhuhr), then perform the two remaining Rak‘at. Then stand up and perform al-‘Asr. If you remember that you have not performed al-‘Asr until it is time of al-Maghrib and you are not afraid of running short of its time, perform al-‘Asr, thereafter perform al-Maghrib. If you have performed al-Maghrib, stand up to perform al-‘Asr. If you have performed two Rak‘at of al-Maghrib, then you remember that you have missed al-‘Asr; consider it al-‘Asr then complete it with another two Rak‘at, say Salam and thereafter perform al-Maghrib. If you have performed al-‘Isha’ al-Akhirah, but you have forgotten al-Maghrib, stand up to perform al-Maghrib. If you remember when you have performed two Rak‘at of al-‘Isha’ al-Akhirah or you just have stood up for the third Rak‘at, consider it al-Maghrib then say Salam and thereafter perform al-‘Isha’ al-Akhirah. If you forget al-‘Isha’ al-Akhirah until you perform the morning Salah (prayer), perform al-‘Isha’ al-Akhirah thereafter. If you remember in the first Rak‘at or in the second Rak‘at of the morning Salah (prayer), consider it al-‘Isha’, thereafter perform the morning Salah (prayer), say Adhan and ‘Iqamah. If both al-Maghrib and al-‘Isha’ al-Akhirah are missed, begin with these ones first before the morning Salah (prayer), first al-Maghrib and then al-‘Isha’ al-Akhirah. If you are afraid of the running short of the time of the morning Salah (prayer) if you perform the two first, begin with al-Maghrib, then morning Salah (prayer), then al-‘Isha’. If you are afraid of running short of the time of the morning Salah (prayer), if you begin with al-Maghrib, begin with the morning Salah (prayer) then al-Maghrib and al-‘Isha’. Begin with the first one because it is a Qada’ (make-up for). Start whichever you want. You must not perform except after the rising of sun rays.’ I (the narrator) then asked, ‘Why is that?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Because you are not afraid of missing them.’”

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who forgets al-Dhuhr until it is time of al-‘Asr. He (the Imam) said, ‘He begins with al-Dhuhr and so also one begins with Salah (prayer) which is forgotten, unless one is afraid of the running short of the time of Salah (prayer), in which case one begins with that for which there is still time, thereafter performs what one has forgotten.’”

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), was once asked about a man who performs Salah (prayer) without Tahur (cleansing) or forgets it (Salah (prayer)) or goes to sleep. He (the Imam) said, ’He performs its Qada’ (compensatory prayer) in whatever hour he remembers during the night or day. If the time for a Salah (prayer) comes and he has not yet completed what he was to perform as Qada’ (compensatory prayer) he completes what he is to do unless is afraid of running short of the time of Salah (prayer) of present time. Such Salah (prayer) is of greater priority in matters of its time thus, he performs it and when this is complete, he performs that which was missed in the past, and he does not perform any optional Salah (prayer) even one Rak’at, until completion of all obligatory ones.’”

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has sad, ’You may miss a Salah (prayer) and remember it in another time. If you think you can perform Qada’ (compensatory prayer) for the one missed when there is still enough time left to perform the present Salah (prayer), begin to do so. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, says, “Perform Salah (prayer) to remember (speak of) Me” but if you know that with performing Qada’ (compensatory prayer) for what you have missed, the time for the present one will end, then begin with the present Salah (prayer). Thereafter perform Qada’ (compensatory prayer) for the one missed in the past.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who has forgotten a Salah (prayer) until the time for next Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘If one misses a Salah (prayer) because of forgetting or sleep, he must perform it as soon as he remembers. If he remembers it during performing another Salah (prayer), he begins with that which is forgotten. If he remembers while performing Salah (prayer) of al-Maghrib behind an Imam, he completes it with an additional Rak’at, thereafter performs al-Maghrib and then al-‘Atmah, (al-Tsha 5 al-Akhirah) thereafter. If he is performing al-’Atmah alone and two Rak’at of it are complete when he remembers that he has forgotten al-Maghrib, he completes it with one more Rak’at to finish its three Rak’at for al-Maghrib, then performs al-’Atmah thereafter.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man who forgets al-Dhuhr until it is sunset and has performed al-‘Asr. He (the Imam) said, ‘Abu Ja’far (a.s.), or my father would say, “If he can perform Qada’ (compensatory prayer) for it before the time for al-Maghrib ends, he must do so, otherwise, he performs al-Maghrib then Qada’ (compensatory prayer) for that which is missed.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who leads people for al-‘Asr, then he remembers during Salah (prayer) that he has not performed the one before. He (the Imam) said, ‘He considers it (Salah (prayer) he is performing) as the one before which is missed and thereafter perform al-‘Asr again and the people proceed with their Salah (prayer).”’

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who forgets to perform the morning Salah (prayer) until it is sunrise. He (the Imam) said, ’He performs it whenever he remembers. The Messenger of Allah remained sleeping during the time for the morning Salah (prayer) until sunrise, then he performed it Qada’ (compensatory prayer) when he woke up but moved away from his place, then performed Salah (prayer).’”

“I once heard abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘The Messenger of Allah remained sleeping during the time of the morning Salah (prayer) and Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, made him to remain sleeping until sunrise and this was a blessing from Him for the people. Consider, when one remains sleeping until sunrise, people reproach him saying, “You do not avoid sins in matters of Salah (prayer).” This became a Sunnah, tradition and guideline. If one man says to another man, “You remained sleeping during the time of Salah (prayer), he can respond saying, ‘the Messenger of Allah also remained sleeping.’” Thus, it became a Sunnah and guideline and a blessing, which Allah, most Glorious, granted this nation.’”

“This is about the words of Allah, most Blessed is whose name, ‘Salah (prayer) was written as obligatory upon people.’ (4:103) Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘It means that it was obligatory, not that it is obligatory for a limited time so that if it is performed after the limited time, it does not fulfill the obligation. Had it been so Sulayman son of Dawud would have been destroyed when he performed his Salah (prayer) in a time, which was other than the time of that Salah (prayer). However, he performed when he remembered.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘If you are certain or have doubts in its time that you did not perform, you must perform it again. If you face a doubt after its time has ended, there has an obstacle come into existence, so a repeat is not required from you because of doubt, unless you are certain. If you become certain you must perform in whatever condition you are.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who remains sleeping during the time of al-‘Atmah and does not wake up until after midnight. He (the Imam) said, ‘He performs that Salah (prayer) and remains fasting until the morning.’”