An objection on making Qadha’ for sunnah salah

Q: It is stated in Bahishti Zewar that there is no  qadha for the  sunnat salaah, whereas it appears in Fatawaa Mahmoodiya, vol 1, pg 76 that it is sunnat to perform the qadhaof sunnats.

A:  Qadhahas two definitions:

(1) The definition that is in accordance to the  usooliyyeen- experts in the principles of  fiqh. (Qadhaa ccording to them refers to the performing of the likeness of a  waajib). We understand that  qadha will take place for something compulsory, and a  sunnatis not  waajib (compulsory). Hence, how can one make  qadha of it? The  mas’alahin Bahishti Zewar is based on this definition.

(2) The definition of  qadha according to the  fuqahaais  badal (substitute). The  mas’alahin Fatawaa Mahmoodiya is based on this definition. The source for this is Ad-Durr-ul-Mukhtaar and its proof is that Nabi salallallahu alayhi wasallam had also performed the  qadha for the sunnats of Fajr when he had missed the Fajr salaahon  Laylat-ut-Ta`rees. (Tahaawi, vol 1, pg 195)

Similarly, a hadeet happears in Tahaawi, vol 1, pg 184 wherein it is stated that two  Sahaabah (Ibnu Umar and Ibnu Abbas) reached the  musjid whilst the Fajr  salaah was in progress. Ibnu Abbas performed the Fajr  sunnats and thereafter joined the  jamaat, whilst Ibnu Umar directly joined the jamaat. After the completion of the Fajr  salaah, he remained seated in his place until sunrise after which he performed the qadha of the sunnats of Fajr.

A  hadeeth reported in Nasai, vol 1, pg 255 states: “Whoever leaves his  wird (prescribed ibaadat) at night and thereafter makes up for it between Fajr and Zuhr, it will be as if he had performed it during the night.”

The  fuqahaa have also mentioned that if one was unable to perform the  sunnats before Zuhr, he should perform them after Zuhr and they have termed it as qadha. They also differ with regards to whether the four  rakaats should be performed before or after the two  sunnats. (Fatawaa Hindiyyah, vol 1, pg 112)

It is also established that Nabi salallallahu alayhi wasallam had performed the  qadhaof the Zuhr  sunnats. It appears in Tahaawi, vol 1, pg 147 that Nabi  salallallahu alayhi wasallam had not performed the two  sunnats after Zuhr due to being occupied in a deeni (religious) matter. As a result of this, he performed the  qadha of the two sunnats after the Asr salaah.

Nevertheless,  qadha has the meaning of  badal (substitute) in Fatawaa Mahmoodiya and not the meaning adopted by the usooliyyeen (experts of principles of fiqh).

Malfoozaat of Faqeeh-ul-Ummat 1/362