Message #15309

[Zainab_M]

Such an important topic and you've expounded it so comprehensively and yet so simply without any complications.  The images too are breathtaking.  I  especially love the caption of the second one.  With daylight being for such a brief period in winters, daily routine becomes a rush .. a struggle .. to stay on schedule.  I try to be home as much as I can but the usual outdoor chores mainly grocery shopping is enough to make me miss at least one prayer, usually my Maghrib salaat.  Sometimes if I'm tired in the afternoon and after lunch and offering Dohr, I lie down for a short nap, I may oversleep and wake up around 5.30 p.m. and I find I've missed my Asr and Maghrib.  Really upsets me.  But I take my comfort in meticulously never missing the Qaza for each missed salaat.  Like you so correctly defined, it's an obligation, a very very important one.  Missing a salaat doesn't mean that obligation has passed by and we just move ahead to catch on the next prayer.  The obligation remains, and I feel like my soul is in debt unless I don't complete it.  If Qaza piles up to more than one salaat, I feel the 'debt' has piled up too.  The important thing to know is, it's for the benefit of our own soul.  Allah does not gain anything from it because He is too independent and has NO needs.  But our soul needs it for maintaining our book of account in the Hereafter.

Many thanks dear Sister Heba.  All bless you for the help you offer us with your great work.

BTW, a question for my info.  If the accumulation of Qaza prayers is quite a bit, say for example 20 rakats or so in total, can all those rakats be made up by being offered as Nafl?