Is it permissible for a person who has not performed his missed prayers (qada) to perform tarawih prayer?

Is it permissible for a person who has not performed his missed prayers (qada) to perform tarawih prayer?

Dear Brother / Sister,

There is no prohibition for people who has not performed his missed prayers (qada) to perform tarawih prayer. We advise such people to perform tarawih in Ramadan and qada prayers at other times.

Trying to perform missed prayers is more important and privileged than performing nafilah (supererogatory) prayers. However, regular nafilah prayers (rawatib sunnahs) which are performed along with the daily prescribed prayers and the sunnah prayers of mid-morning, awwabin and tarawih should be performed within the bounds of possibility.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says the following in one of his hadiths; "On the day of resurrection, the first thing that a person will be called to account for is fard prayers. If they are complete, the rest of his accounting will be easy. Otherwise, it will be said, "See whether he/she has any nafilah (supererogatory) or not?". By this way, the missing fard prayers of him/her will be completed with his/her nafilah prayers." (Tirmidhi, Salat, 188; Ibn Majah, Iqama, 202).

So, it is necessary to give importance to sunnah prayers and be attentive to perform them.

Those who belong to Hanafi madhab should perform Tarawih though they have not performed their missed (qada) prayers.

Those who belong to Shafii madhhab should perform qada prayers instead of Tarawih prayers. If they join to the Imam who is performing tarawih, they can perform it by intending for their missed (qada) prayers.

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