Can We Perform Sunnah Prayers When We Have Qada Prayers To Be Performed?

Can we perform sunnah prayers when we have qada prayers to be performed?

According to the Hanafi school, those who have missed prayers continue to perform the (rawatib) sunnahs before and after fardh prayers. They try to make up for their missed prayers as soon as possible.

According to the Shafi’i school, those who have missed prayers cannot perform any nafl prayers, including rawatibs, eid and witr prayers, before performing qada prayer for all the missed prayers. A person who has missed prayers needs to spend all his/her time to perform qada prayer for them. Moreover, it is not permissible for such people to deal with nafl prayers as they need to establish qada prayers for the missed prayers in all their time remaining after doing important daily affairs such as sleeping and providing sustenance for their home (Dimyati, Hashiyatu i’anat al-talibin, I, 39-40).

Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWAS