Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
I’m a high school student. I have tuition classes at the time of ‘Asr and Maghrib prayers. Can I combine them or can I make them up?
Answer
Thank you for your question.
Missing Prayers
It is not permissible to miss obligatory prayers nor to combine them, for the reason that you mention, as tuition classes don’t constitute a valid excuse to miss or combine. I recommend that you make ablution (wudu) before your class starts, and excuse yourself for five minutes during each prayer time to pray. Check the prayer timings and you may find time to pray before, during, or after your classes, making sure that the prayer time doesn’t expire. You would be surprised how much people tend to accommodate these requests.
The Importance
Missing a prayer is an enormity, and its performance on time should be taken with the utmost seriousness. Keep in mind that the obligation of prayer is not lifted during battle, during injury, during a famine, poverty, or any other kind of difficulty. Glean the importance of prayer from the following: The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), said, “Whoever misses the ‘Asr prayer, then it is as if he was robbed of his family and his property.“ [Tirmidhi]
Also, it was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), said, “The first thing among their deeds for which the people will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be prayer. Our Lord will say to His angels, although He knows best, ‘Look at My slave’s prayer, is it complete or lacking? ’If it is complete, it will be recorded as complete, but if it is lacking, He will say, ‘Look and see whether My slave did any voluntary prayers.’ If he had done voluntary prayers, He will say, ‘Complete the obligatory prayers of My slave from his voluntary prayers.’ Then the rest of his deeds will be examined in a similar manner.” [Abu Dawud]
Making Up Payers
If you have missed a prayer due to your classes, it would be sinful and it would be obligatory to make them up immediately. [The Reliance of the Traveller, f2.7]
May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani