Praise be to Allaah.

It is obligatory to make up missed prayers in the proper order, according to the majority of scholars.

The way in which the missed prayers are made up in order is to do the missed prayers in the same order as the prescribed prayers. So whoever misses Zuhr and Asr, for example, should pray Zuhr first, then Asr.

But the obligation to do them in order is waived in the case of one who forgets or was ignorant, or if there is the fear that the time for the current prayer will end soon, or if one fears missing out on a prayer in congregation – according to the more correct view.

If he fears that if he starts with the prayers he missed the time for Asr prayer will end, then he should pray Asr first, then pray whatever prayers he owes.

Similarly if he enters the mosque, should he offer the current prayer with the congregation or make up what he has missed first? Ahmad, according to one report which was also favoured by Shaykh al-Islam, was of the view that he does not have to offer the prayers in sequence if he fears that he will miss out on praying with the congregation.


And Allaah knows best.