If a الحاج falls asleep at مزدلفة and misses the Maghrib and Isha الصلوات (which are combined and shortened there), they should pray them as soon as they wake up, as الصلاة is not waived due to sleep. The night stay at مزدلفة is واجب (واجب) عند the majority, but the الحج remains valid if missed. A dam may be required for missing the stay عند some scholars.
The night at مزدلفة is part of the الحج journey, and the السنة is to pray Maghrib and Isha combined and shortened (qasr) upon arrival from عرفة, then rest until shortly before Fajr. If a الحاج falls asleep and misses the combined Maghrib and Isha الصلوات, they must pray them as soon as they wake up, because النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'Whoever sleeps through a الصلاة or forgets it, let him pray it when he remembers it, for that is its time.' Prayer is never waived due to sleep or forgetfulness.
Regarding the stay itself at مزدلفة, the majority of scholars (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i) consider it واجب (واجب). The Hanbali school considers it a ركن (pillar) of الحج عند one opinion, though the well-known position is that it is واجب. الشيخ ابن باز held that the stay at مزدلفة is واجب, and missing it without a valid excuse requires a dam (sacrifice). If a الحاج was present at مزدلفة even briefly during the night or before Fajr, they have fulfilled the requirement.
الشيخ ابن عثيمين clarified that if a الحاج arrived at مزدلفة, fell asleep, and woke up after Fajr having missed the entire nighttime الدعاء and the Fajr الصلاة at مزدلفة, they should pray what they missed immediately. Their الحج is valid because they were physically present at مزدلفة. However, they missed the السنة of the lengthy الدعاء after Fajr at Mash'ar al-Haram. The stay itself was fulfilled by their physical presence during the night, even while sleeping.
النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'Whoever sleeps through a الصلاة or forgets it, let him pray it when he remembers it, for that is its time. There is no expiation for it other than that.'
النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'Whoever sleeps through a الصلاة or forgets it, let him pray it when he remembers it, for that is its time. There is no expiation for it other than that.'
النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came to مزدلفة, and he prayed Maghrib and Isha together with one adhan and two iqamahs, and he did not pray anything between them.
النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came to مزدلفة, and he prayed Maghrib and Isha together with one adhan and two iqamahs, and he did not pray anything between them.
Scholars from different schools of Islamic jurisprudence offer varying perspectives on this matter.
The stay at مزدلفة is واجب. Missing it requires a dam. Prayers missed due to sleep must be made up immediately. Physical presence at مزدلفة fulfills the stay requirement even if one slept.
Al-Hidayah: the stay at مزدلفة is واجب, and missing it requires a penalty.
The Maliki school considers the stay at مزدلفة واجب. The key requirement is being present at مزدلفة during the latter part of the night. Sleeping through does not invalidate the presence.
Al-Mudawwanah: Imam Malik considered the night stay at مزدلفة واجب.
The stay at مزدلفة is a السنة mu'akkadah in the Shafi'i school, not واجب. Missing it does not require a dam, though it misses significant reward.
Al-Majmu' by al-Nawawi: the stay at مزدلفة is a confirmed السنة, and missing it does not require a penalty.
The Hanbali school holds that the stay at مزدلفة is واجب (with some scholars considering it a pillar). Being present even briefly fulfills it. Missing it requires a dam.
Al-Mughni by ابن قدامة: the stay at مزدلفة is واجب, and some Hanbali scholars considered it a pillar of الحج.
This is a scholarly summary, not a personal fatwa. Consult your scholar for personal rulings.
النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'Whoever sleeps through a الصلاة or forgets it, let him pray it when he remembers it, for that is its time. There is no expiation for it other than that.'
Sahih al-Bukhari #597 (sahih)النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came to مزدلفة, and he prayed Maghrib and Isha together with one adhan and two iqamahs, and he did not pray anything between them.
Sahih Muslim #1218 (sahih)