How is intention made for qada (missed) prayers? If a person does not know how many prayers he has missed, what should he do?

Dear Brother / Sister,

When performing missed prayers, there is no need to determine to which date they belong. Since this is very difficult, it is convenient to apply the easier one. A qada prayer is performed by intending (making niyyah) as follows:

For example, "I intend to perform for Allah the fard of the first noon prayer I could not perform in time" or “I intend to perform for Allah the fard of the last noon prayer I could not perform in time." Thus, the qada prayers are begun to be performed from the first one or the last one that was not performed in time; in both ways, the missed prayers decrease in a certain order.

Since it is easier, it is also adequate to intend as follows: “I am performing a noon or afternoon prayer I missed.”

When a missed prayer is performed, first adhan then iqamah is called. If more than one qada prayer is performed, one adhan is sufficient for all of them, but it is sunnah to call separate iqamahs for every fard prayer.

A person who does not know exactly how many prayers he missed has to perform prayers according to his reasonable prediction. If he cannot predict the number of his missed prayers, he continues to perform missed prayers until he believes that he has no missed prayers left unperformed.

Those who missed the same prayer can perform this prayer in congregation. However, those who missed different prayers cannot perform them in congregation; they have to perform their prayers individually.

Missed prayers need to be performed at home if it is possible. If these prayers were missed without an excuse, it is inconvenient to show it to other people since it is a sin.

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