Another example is the term qadā’. In the speech of Allah and His Messenger, it means completing an act of worship, even within its prescribed time. As the Most High says:

“When the prayer has been completed, disperse throughout the land and seek Allah’s bounty.”

And He says:

“Then when you have completed your rites…”

Later, a group of jurists adopted a convention whereby qadā’ referred exclusively to performing an act of worship outside its prescribed time, while adā’ referred exclusively to performing it within that time. This distinction is entirely unknown in the Messenger’s speech. They then say that qadā’ may sometimes be used to mean adā’, thus treating the language in which the Quran was revealed as an uncommon usage.

For this reason, they dispute what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, meant by:

“Pray whatever you catch, and complete whatever you miss (fa-qdū).”

Another wording reads:

“Complete it (fa-atimmū).”

They suppose that the two wordings differ in meaning, but that is not the case. His words “fa-qdū” mean the same as “fa-atimmū.” Neither expression means performing the act after its prescribed time. Indeed, nowhere in the speech of the Lawgiver is there a command to perform an act of worship outside its prescribed time.

There are, however, two kinds of prescribed time: a general time and a time specific to those with valid excuses. For example, when someone who has slept through a prayer or forgotten it prays upon waking or remembering, that person is praying within the time in which Allah has commanded them to pray, although it is not a prescribed time for those not in their situation.