Qaza Namaz that does not exist

Qaza Namaz that does not exist

By: Khurshid Imam

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Question: When should we offer Qaza namaz? 

Arabic word Salah = Namaz = Prayer

Qaza namaz = missed prayer that you want to offer later.

Answer: Qaza namaz refers to the missed prayer. If someone did not offer salah on time then it is understood that he can offer it later.

In this regard, the Quran says:

إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَّوْقُوتًا

".... prayers are enjoined on believers at fixed times". Quran 4:103

1. Fajr has 2 rakah [units] of fard [obligatory] prayer.  
2. Dhuhr has 4 rakah of fard prayer.
3. Asr has 4 rakah of fard prayer. 
4. Maghrib has 3 rakah of fard prayer. 
5. Isha has 4 rakah of fard prayer.

There is no obligatory prayer apart from the above mentioned namaz. It is important to note that Allah has prescribed Salah on its fixed time. So much is the emphasis on the offering of Salah at its fixed time that even during war it has to be offered on its time. Imagine! If there was to be a situation when Salah should NOT be offered on its time then it should be during war but even that is not the case.

Quran 4:102 explains in details how a group should offer Salah during war. Even though one has to shorten the prayer in such a situation yet there is no exemption from offering Salah on its time. Even if someone is ill during a war then also he is not told that he should offer Salah later or he should compensate for the missed Salah later.

Then how can we think that we can offer Salah LATER if we have missed it.

Quran says that if someone has missed fast during the month of Ramdhan because of illness or journey then he should fast LATER after Ramdhan. Refer to Quran 2:184-185.

But when it comes to Salah then nowhere does Quran say that one should compensate for a missed prayer later. On the contrary, Quran says that Salah is FARD on prescribed times. Fasting later is allowed by Quran but same is not the case with Salah.

Salah is obligatory on its time. When time for Salah has gone then there is no meaning of missed Salah. For example, if you missed breakfast and woke up at 1 pm then you cannot eat 'breakfast'. Either you can have lunch or dinner but breakfast you cannot have because its time has gone. Similarly, once you missed Fajr and time of Fajr has passed then there is no meaning of Qaza Fajr Salah.

Also, before telling anyone, "I could not wake up for Fajr Salah", please check whether the ACTUAL case is, "I did NOT wake up for Salah". It has become fashion nowadays.

If one misses Salah and later on offers Namaz in the name of Qaza Namaz then it will be considered as nafil [optional] prayer and it will give sawab, but it will never be a "compensation" or equivalent to the Salah missed. So, even if one offers the so called qaza namaz after intentionally missing the Namaz, it will be considered that he did not offer that fard salah. 

Today, it has become fashion that people miss salah thinking they can offer Qaza Salah; they don’t make every possible effort to offer Salah on their prescribed time. Later, they offer Qaza Salah for the missed prayer. They should remember that they have earned sin by intentionally missing Salah and Qaza Salah will not be a compensation or expiation for the missed salah.

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Author can be contacted: imam.khurshid@yahoo.com    WatsApp: +91-8884542768

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