Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Ṣada-e-Madīnaĥ Etiquette and the Complete Method of Offering Qaḍā Ṣalāĥ

Wake up, It's Time for Fajr!

Dear Islamic brothers! Earn heaps of Šawāb by waking up sleeping Islamic brothers for Ṣalāĥ. In the Madanī environment of Dawat-e-Islami, waking the Muslims for Ṣalā-tul-Fajr is called 'Ṣada-e-Madīnaĥ.' Though Ṣada-e-Madīnaĥ is not Wājib, awaking Muslims for Fajr Ṣalāĥ is an act of Šawāb which every Muslim should perform. However, care must be taken that no Muslim is distressed on account of calling Ṣada-e-Madīnaĥ.

An Incident

An Islamic brother told me (Sag-e-Madīnaĥ عَفٰی عَنْهُ), "We, a few Islamic brothers, were passing by a lane calling Ṣada-e-Madīnaĥ using a megaphone at the time of Fajr Ṣalāĥ. Meanwhile, interrupting us, a person said that his child who could not sleep all the night had just slept. He requested us not to use the megaphone. We got annoyed with that person as to what type of Muslim he was. We were awaking people for Ṣalāĥ and he was preventing us. By chance, the next day he again moved towards the same lane calling Ṣada-e-Madīnaĥ. The same person was standing in gloom at the verge of the lane and said to us, 'Today again my son had not slept all the night, he has just gone to sleep, I am standing here to request you people to pass by this lane silently.'

This incident shows that Ṣada-e-Madīnaĥ should be called without using megaphone and even when calling without it, one should not raise his voice so loudly that it disturbs Islamic sisters offering Ṣalāĥ or reciting the Holy Qurān inside homes, patients, aged people and children or those who have fallen asleep after offering the Ṣalāĥ in its earlier time. If someone prevents us from calling Ṣada-e-Madīnaĥ we should humbly apologise to him rather than making arguments with him; further, we should have positive opinion about him as surely no Muslim can oppose awaking people for Ṣalāĥ; most probably, he would be facing some genuine problem. Even if he is an abandoner of Ṣalāĥ, we are still not entitled to behave aggressively. Instead, we should entice him towards Ṣalāĥ politely making our individual effort on any other appropriate occasion.

Apart from Ażān-e-Fajr, care should be taken in using Masjid speakers or sound systems for gatherings in streets or homes making it sure that the sound of the speaker does not disturb those worshipping at homes, patients, infants, sleeping ones etc.

An Incident about 'Realization of Public Rights'

To be considerate of public rights is extremely necessary. Our past saints were very careful in this regard. Therefore, Ḥujja-tul-Islam Sayyidunā Imām Muḥammad Ghazālī عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰہِ الوالِی reports that Sayyidunā Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal رَحْمَةُ اللّٰہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه had a student who spent many years in his company acquiring knowledge. One day, as he came, the Imām turned his face away (expressing his annoyance); when the student insisted to let him know the reason of annoyance, he رَحْمَةُ اللّٰہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه said, "You have expanded the corner wall of your house up to a man's height towards the roadside hindering a thoroughfare of the Muslims." In other words, "How can I be pleased with you whereas you have obstructed the passage of the Muslims!"

(Iḥyā-ul-'Ulūm, pp. 96, vol. 5)

This incident contains lesson for those who obstruct public pathways by getting terrace etc. constructed outside their homes.

Offer Qaḍā Ṣalāĥ as Soon as Possible

It is Wājib to offer the missed Qaḍā Ṣalāĥ at the earliest. However, delay is permissible for the sake of earning livelihood for family and meeting personal needs. Therefore, one should keep earning livelihood and offer the Qaḍā Ṣalāĥ in spare times until all Qaḍā Ṣalāĥ are offered.

(Dur-re-Mukhtār, pp. 646, vol. 2)

Offer Your Qaḍā Ṣalāĥ in Seclusion

Offer Qaḍā Ṣalāĥ in seclusion; do not reveal it to others even to family members and close friends (for example, do not say like: I missed Fajr Ṣalāĥ today or I am offering Qaḍā of missed Ṣalāĥ of lifetime etc.) mentioning (your) sin (to others) is Makrūh-e-Taḥrīmī and a sin.

(Rad-dul-Muḥtār, pp. 650, vol. 2)

Therefore, do not raise hands for the Takbīr of Qunūt while offering Qaḍā of Witr Ṣalāĥ in the presence of others.

Lifetime Qaḍā on the Last Friday of Ramaḍān?

Some people offer Qaḍā of lifetime missed Ṣalāĥ in congregation on the last Friday of Ramaḍān-ul-Mubārak and assume that all the Qaḍā Ṣalāĥ of lifetime has been offered by offering this one Ṣalāĥ; it is nothing but a sheer fallacy.

(Bahār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 708, vol. 1)

Calculation of Qaḍā Ṣalāĥ of the Whole Life

The one who has never offered Ṣalāĥ and now has been blessed with the desire to offer the Qaḍā of lifetime missed Ṣalāĥ should make a computation from the day when he reached puberty. If the date of puberty is not known, it is safer that the man should make computation from the age of 12 years and the woman should do the same from the age of 9 years.

(Fatāwā Raḍawiyyah (Jad Īd), pp. 154, vol. 8)

Order of Offering Qaḍā Ṣalāĥ

While offering lifetime Qaḍā Ṣalāĥ, one may first offer all Fajr Ṣalāĥ, then all Ẓuhar Ṣalāĥ and similarly 'Aṣr, Maghrib and 'Ishā Ṣalāĥ.

Method of Offering Qaḍā Ṣalāĥ (Ḥanafi)

There are 20 Rak'āt of Qaḍā Ṣalāĥ in a day: two Rak'āt Farḍ of Fajr, four of Ẓuhar, four of 'Aṣr, three of Maghrib, four of 'Ishā and three Rak'āt of Witr (Wājib). Make intention like this, "I am offering the very first Fajr that I missed." Similar intention may be made for every missed Ṣalāĥ. If one has a large number of missed Ṣalāĥ to offer, it is permissible for him to avail following relaxations:

1.     Uttering the Tasbīḥāt in Rukū' and Sujūd (سُبْحَٰنَ رَبِّىَ الْعَظِيْم & سُبْحَٰنَ رَبِّىَ الْاَعْلٰی) once instead of thrice. However, one must always make sure in all sorts of Ṣalāĥ that he starts uttering the 'س' of سُبْحَٰنَ having completely bent for Rukū' and that he begins to lift his head up from Rukū' having uttered the 'م' of عَظِيْم. Similar care has to be taken in Sajdaĥ.

2.     Uttering 'سُبْحَٰنَ اللّٰہ' three times in the 3rd and 4th Rak'at of Farḍ Ṣalāĥ instead of reciting Sūra-e-Fātiḥaĥ, but remember that Sūra-e-Fātiḥaĥ and a Sūraĥ are to be recited in all the three Rak'āt of Witr.

3.     In the last Qa'dah, performing the Salām having uttered just 'اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّاٰلِه' after Tashaĥĥud without reciting the remaining Durūd Sharīf and Du'ā.

4.     Uttering just 'رَبِّ اغْفِرْلِيْ' once or three times instead of the supplication of Qunūt in the third Rak'āt of Witr after uttering اَللّٰهُ اَكْبَر.

(Fatāwā Raḍawiyyah (Jad Īd), pp. 157, vol. 8)

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