The answer is: Yes, it is waived in the case of something that cannot be made up separately, such as the Friday prayer. Thus, if a person remembers that he owes a missed prayer after the Friday prayer has begun, and he cannot make it up while still catching the Friday prayer, then he should begin with the Friday prayer. For missing the Friday congregation is like missing the time itself: if you miss the congregation, you have missed the Friday prayer, and after missing its congregation, you cannot pray it as a Friday prayer.

Issue: Is the proper sequence waived because of ignorance? There is a difference of opinion among the scholars on this matter (1). The apparent meaning of the author’s words is that it is not waived. Thus, if a man comes to us asking, “I owe the missed noon, afternoon, and sunset prayers. Out of ignorance, I began with the sunset prayer, then the afternoon prayer, and then the noon prayer,”

the answer is: We say: The author’s words indicate that the proper sequence is not waived, since he mentioned no reason for waiving it other than forgetfulness and the expiration of the preferred time for the current prayer. The difference between the ignorant person and the forgetful person is that the ignorant person may have been negligent in failing to learn, and so he is not excused.

Accordingly, we say to this man who asked us and who performed the sunset prayer first, then the afternoon prayer, and then the noon prayer: Repeat the afternoon prayer and then the sunset prayer. As for the noon prayer, he need not repeat it, because it is in its proper place.

The same applies to everything in which a proper sequence is required: if you reverse the order, you do not repeat the final act, because it is effectively the first act. What you performed before it is what was invalid, whereas the act that was last remains valid. Nothing is excluded from this rule.

Some scholars said instead that the proper sequence is waived because of ignorance, since ignorance