Praying Maghrib First or Making Up Missed Dhuhr

Question

When you miss two prayers (e.g., Dhuhr and Asr) and get home in time for Maghrib, do you make up the missed prayers first, or pray Maghrib first? And if the missed prayers are done first, is it Dhuhr then Asr, or Asr then Dhuhr?

Bottom Line

Make up missed prayers in order: Dhuhr first, then Asr, then Maghrib. The order is waived if you forget, are ignorant, or fear losing the current prayer time or the congregation.

Quick Answer

The majority of scholars (Hanafi, Maliki, and Hanbali) hold that missed prayers should be performed in sequence. So if you missed Dhuhr and Asr, then at Maghrib time you pray Dhuhr first, then Asr, then Maghrib.

Exceptions: If you risk missing Maghrib altogether, or if you fear missing the jama‘ah, or you forget, then you can pray the current prayer first.

Key Takeaways

• Missed prayers are generally made up in sequence.
• The order is waived if it causes hardship or leads to missing the current prayer time or congregation.
• Flexibility exists, but neglect is not excused; prayers must still be made up.

Detailed Answer

The importance of the prayer in Islam cannot be understated. It is the first pillar of Islam that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned after mentioning the testimony of faith, by which one becomes a Muslim. It was made obligatory upon all the prophets and for all peoples. Allah has declared its obligatory status under majestic circumstances. Prayers are a type of purification for a human being. He turns and meets with his Lord five times a day. As alluded to above, this repeated standing before Allah should keep the person from performing sins during the day.

Making up missed prayers in order is the view of the majority. Ibn Qudāmah said:

“In conclusion, it is essential to offer missed prayers in order. This was stated by Ahmad in several places… and a similar view was narrated from An-Nakha‘i, Adh-Dhuhri, Rabi‘ah, Yahya al-Ansari, Malik, Al-Layth, Abu Hanifah and Ishaq.”

(al-Mughni, 1/352)

If someone misses only a few prayers, the Sunnah is to make them up in order before praying the current prayer. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever forgets a prayer, let him pray it when he remembers. There is no expiation except that.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 597; Sahih Muslim 684

Practical Implementation

If you missed Dhuhr and Asr and arrive home at Maghrib time:

1. Dhuhr first
2. Asr next
3. Maghrib last

 Exceptions

The sequence can be waived if:

• You forget or are unaware of the ruling.
• You fear Maghrib time will end if you start with the missed prayers.
• You fear missing the congregational prayer.

In such cases, scholars allow praying the current prayer first to avoid hardship. The mercy of Islam ensures obligations are upheld without creating unnecessary burden.

What This Means for You

If you miss Dhuhr and Asr, then return home at Maghrib, the default is: Dhuhr → Asr → Maghrib. But if praying in order will cause you to miss Maghrib or jama‘ah, you can pray Maghrib first. Islam emphasizes both order and ease.

And Allah knows best.

References

Primary Sources

Qur’an

1. Al-Nisa 4:103: Prayer is enjoined on believers at fixed times.

Hadith

2. Sahih al-Bukhari 597; Sahih Muslim 684: Whoever forgets a prayer, let him pray it when he remembers.

Secondary Sources

3. Ibn Qudāmah, al-Mughni, 1/352: Obligation of order in making up missed prayers.
4. Hanafi and Maliki fiqh: Order waived if more than one day of prayers are missed due to hardship.