the two rak‘ahs after the Zuhr prayer, so he made them up after the ‘Asr prayer.” (1) This is an explicit text regarding making up the regular sunnah prayers.

Also, the general meaning of his ﷺ statement: “Whoever sleeps through a prayer or forgets it, let him pray it when he remembers it.” (2) This encompasses both obligatory and voluntary prayers. This applies when one has missed it due to an excuse, such as forgetfulness, sleep, or being occupied with something more important.

But if he deliberately leaves it until its time has passed, he should not make it up; and even if he were to make it up, it would not be valid as a regular sunnah prayer. This is because the regular sunnah prayers are acts of worship prescribed for specific times, and when a person deliberately performs a time-bound act of worship outside its appointed time, it is not accepted from him.

The evidence for this is the Prophet’s ﷺ statement: “Whoever performs an action that is not in accordance with our matter shall have it rejected.” (3) If you deliberately delay a time-bound act of worship beyond its time, you have performed an action that is not in accordance with the command of Allah and His Messenger, for the command of Allah and His Messenger is that you perform it at that particular time. It is therefore not accepted. (4)

Likewise, just as it is not valid before its time begins, it is likewise not valid after its time ends, since there is no sound distinction between performing it before its prescribed time enters and performing it after its prescribed time has ended, when this is done without an excuse.

Thus, his statement, “Whoever misses any of them is recommended to make it up,” is restricted to the case where