Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
When one prays alone, is it correct to perform only the iqama at the beginning of his fard prayers and qada prayers?
Walaikum assalam,
When praying alone, it is a confirmed sunna for men to recite both the adhan and the iqama.
However, if you are making up a number of prayers in the same session, it is permitted to simply recite one adhan. It remains a confirmed sunna, however, to recite the iqama for each prayer. If you move on to different action (e.g. go to renew your wudu, or have a snack to eat), and then want to continue making up prayers, this is considered a new session. As such, another adhan would have to be given. (Of course, you can give such adhans quickly. There is no reason to elongate them.)
As an aside, if there is an adhan given in one’s neighborhood, it is no longer a confirmed sunna for one to give the adhan at home for a current prayer, though it is recommended to do so.
Imam al-Haskafi said in al-Durr al-Mukhtar:
“It [the adhan] is an emphasised sunna at the strength of a wajib in that there is a sin [for the one who leaves it].”
Ibn Abidin added:
“This includes when one is both traveling and resident and when alone and when in a group…however omitting the adhan is not disliked for one praying in his home in a city [where the adhan is normally heard] because the adhan of the area suffices him…[though] it is still recommended for him to do so.”
Haskafi continued:
“It is sunna to make the adhan and iqama when making up a missed prayer…and likewise the adhan is sunna for the first make-up prayer [when making up several prayers in one sitting] and one is free to choose for the others, and to do so for each is superior.
“One performs the iqama for each make-up…it is not sunna [to perform either] for prayers performed by women [for whom it is disliked], whether current performances or make-ups…nor for prayers that one makes up in the mosque [Tahtawi: if done aloud.. though not if done such that it is only heard by oneself] and it is disliked to make up prayers in the mosque as delaying the prayer is a sin so it shouldn’t be made known [Tahtawi: again this applies if performed in a group, not if alone].”
Ibn ‘Abidin explains,
“It is clear from the reasoning that what is [prohibitively] disliked is making up prayers with other people aware of that even if in other than the mosque.”
Displaying Acts of Disobedience
This is an important point to be taken note of. Displaying acts of disobedience is itself an act of disobedience. People who have several years of prayers to make up cannot not tell other people about them unless there is a Shariah-countenanced reason for doing so, such as asking a scholar about ones make-ups. Even in such situations, it is best (and closest to one’s sense of shame to Allah) to mention the case in general terms, such as, “If some has years of make up prayers…”
And Allah knows best
Sohail Hanif & Faraz Rabbani
Walaikum assalam.