What is a qada prayer?
A qada prayer is an obligatory prayer performed after its time has passed; praying it on time is called ada. Whether a prayer was missed through sleep, forgetfulness, illness or years away from practice, the four Sunni madhhabs agree that missed obligatory prayers remain owed and are made up. In the Hanafi school this also covers witr, which is considered wajib.
Missed prayers are often talked about with shame or fear. The point is not to tally the past but to set an intention today and complete them step by step. This calculator exists for that: to show roughly how long the road is, so you can plan it calmly.
How is the qada debt calculated?
The count covers the time from when prayer became obligatory for you — puberty — until you began praying regularly. Tertib uses the same formula in the app and on this page:
- Daily prayers: 6 for Hanafi (five prayers + witr); 5 for Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali.
- Days per year: 365. For women, average monthly menstruation days × 12 are deducted.
- Total qada = years missed × days per year × daily prayers, minus any make-ups already prayed.
For example, a Hanafi man who reached puberty at 13 and began praying regularly at 18 owes 5 years: 5 × 365 × 6 = 10,950 prayers. For a Hanafi woman with an average of 7 menstruation days a month, the year has 365 − 84 = 281 days, so the same period gives 5 × 281 × 6 = 8,430 prayers.
Witr across the madhhabs
Witr is the main difference between the schools here. Hanafis hold witr to be wajib, so a missed witr is made up and the daily count is 6. For Shafi'is, Malikis and Hanbalis witr is an emphasised sunnah; it is not added to the debt and the daily count is 5. Over ten years that is 21,900 prayers versus 18,250.
Menstruation days for women
Prayer is lifted from a woman during menstruation, and those prayers are not made up — scholars agree on this. A fair calculation for women therefore deducts those days, a detail many calculators skip. The calculator applies your average monthly days to all twelve months; prayers missed during postnatal bleeding (nifas) are not made up either, so you may subtract that time yourself. Tertib's plan also stretches the projected finish date to allow for the days you pause.
How to pray qada
A make-up is prayed like the obligatory part of the missed prayer: Fajr 2 rak'ahs, Dhuhr 4, Asr 4, Maghrib 3, Isha 4, and for Hanafis witr 3. Sunnah prayers are not made up. The intention is made in the heart; you don't need to know the exact day — intending "the first Fajr I missed" is enough, for example: "I intend, for the sake of Allah, to pray the fard of the first Fajr prayer I missed." Qada has no fixed time, though Hanafis avoid the brief disliked moments at sunrise, zenith and sunset, while other schools permit make-ups then.
How many a day? A melting plan
There is no fixed daily number; what matters is a pace you can keep. Many people start with one make-up alongside each daily prayer — 6 a day for Hanafis — which clears roughly one year of debt per year. Ten Hanafi years (21,900 prayers) take about 15 years at 4 a day, 10 years at 6 a day and 6 years at 10 a day. Steady progress is more blessed than starting fast and giving up.
Frequently asked questions
How do I work out how many qada prayers I owe?
Take the number of years between reaching puberty and starting to pray regularly, and multiply it by 365 days and by your daily prayer count (6 for Hanafi, 5 for the other madhhabs). Women subtract twelve times their average monthly menstruation days from the 365. Subtract any make-ups you have already prayed. The calculator on this page does it in seconds.
Do women make up the prayers missed during menstruation?
No. Prayers missed during menstruation (hayd) and postnatal bleeding (nifas) are not made up; scholars agree on this. That is why the calculator deducts the monthly menstruation days for women. Ramadan fasts missed on those days, however, are made up later.
What if I don't know the exact number?
You don't need an exact count. Classical fiqh works from your strongest estimate (ghalabat al-zann) and advises caution where you are unsure. Starting with an approximate number and adjusting along the way is better than not starting at all.
Is this calculation a religious ruling?
No. The calculator gives an estimate based on your answers; it is not a fatwa. For your personal situation, please consult a scholar you trust or your local religious authority — in Türkiye, the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet).
What is Tertib, and is it free?
Tertib is an iOS app for tracking your missed prayers one by one and completing them at a pace that suits you. It is free to download; you can calculate your debt by madhhab and mark each make-up as you pray it. A personal melting plan, a projected finish date and the daily reflection are part of the optional Tertib Plus subscription.