Question: What is the ruling of making up for Ḍuḥa (late morning) prayer for someone who has missed its time?
Answer:
The time for Ḍuḥa prayer begins when the sun is as high as a shaft after its rise. It is estimated by a quarter of an hour after sunrise. It ends just before noon.
When this prayer’s time has passed, then the scholars have two different opinions regarding the ruling on making up for it. The applied fatwa is that it is permissible to make up for the Ḍuḥa prayer. This fatwa is approved by the Shafi‛is and some Hanbalis. (Rawḍatu-Ṭālibīn by An-Nawawῑ 1/337. Al-ˀInṣāf by Al-Mardāwī 2/178)
Evidence from the Sunnah is in a ḥadīth reported by ˀAbu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him): “Once the Prophet (pbuh) missed the morning prayer in travel until the sun has risen. So, he performed ablution, then performed two rakˁahs (units). Then, the Iqāmah (second call) for prayer was announced and he performed the morning prayer [in congregation]”. (Narrated by Muslim 1/471).
What is meant by the two units is the regular Sunnah (supererogatory) prayer before dawn. In the ḥadīth of Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, she reported that “Once, the Prophet (pbuh)prayed two rakˁahs after the afternoon prayer, so I asked him about that. So, he said, ‘Some people of ˁAbdul-Qais came to me to embrace Islam and kept me too busy to observe the two rakˁahs regularly done after the Noon prayer. So, those are the two rakˁahs I have been making up for.’” (Bukhāri 5/169. Muslim 1/571) In the ḥadīth narrated by ˀAbu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) the Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said, “He who has not prayed the two rakˁahs of Fajr (Morning Sunnah) until the sun has risen, he may pray them [later whenever s/he can)”. (Narrated by Al-Bayhaqῑ in his Sunan 3/156. An-Nawawi said the chain of transmission is good. Al-Majmū‛ by An-Nawawῑ. 3/526)
ˁĀˀshah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “If the Prophet (pbuh) missed his night (tahajjud) prayer because of indisposition or the like, he would perform twelve rak‛ahs during the day. (Narrated by Muslim 1/515)
An-Nawawῑ said, "Separate (Sunnah) prayers; such as ˁEid (Feast) and Ḍuḥa prayers may be made up for. However, related (Sunnah) prayers, such as those appended to the obligatory prayers, are not made up for. As for the prayers that can be made up for, it is right that they may be performed at any time. Some scholars have another refuted opinion that day-missed prayers may be made up for before the sun sets, and night-missed prayers may be made up for before it is Dawn prayer time. Based on this ruling, the Sunnah of Fajr can be made up for as long as it is still day time. The chosen opinion is that making up for supererogatory prayers is advisable in all cases. Such an opinion is in order so as to avoid disagreement. (Al-Majmū‛ by An-Nawawῑ. Sharḥul-Muhazzab by Ash-Shīrazῑ 3/526)
A Muslim should not delay the obligatory or the supererogatory (nawāfil) acts of worship in order to obtain the greatest reward and blessing in this world and the Hereafter, especially if one does not have a considerable excuse.