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2. Doubt after salām →
← DOUBTS THAT INVALIDATE PRAYERS
1. A doubt about an act for which the time of performance has passed
Ruling 1154. If during prayers one doubts whether or not he performed a certain obligatory act of the prayer– for example, he doubts whether or not he recited Sūrat al-Ḥamd – then, in the event that he has started to perform an act that he must not legally (sharʿan) perform if he intentionally misses that previous act – for example, while reciting the other surah he doubts whether or not he recited Sūrat al-Ḥamd00 – in such a case, he must dismiss his doubt;[1] otherwise [i.e. if he has not started to perform the other act], he must perform the act about which he doubts.
Ruling 1155. If while reciting a verse one doubts whether or not he recited the previous verse, or while reciting the end of a verse, one doubts whether or not he recited the beginning of it, he must dismiss his doubt.
Ruling 1156. If after rukūʿ or sajdah one doubts whether or not he performed its obligatory acts, such as dhikr and keeping the body still, he must dismiss his doubt.
Ruling 1157. If while going to sajdah one doubts whether or not he performed rukūʿ, or he doubts whether or not he stood up after rukūʿ [before going into sajdah], he must dismiss his doubt.
Ruling 1158. If while standing up one doubts whether or not he performed sajdah or said tashahhud, he must dismiss his doubt.
Ruling 1159. With regard to someone who performs prayers in a sitting or lying position, if while reciting Sūrat al-Ḥamd or al‑tasbīḥāt al‑arbaʿah he doubts whether or not he performed sajdah or said tashahhud, he must dismiss his doubt. However, if before one starts to recite Sūrat al-Ḥamd or al‑tasbīḥāt al‑arbaʿah he doubts whether or not he performed sajdah or said tashahhud, he must perform them.
Ruling 1160. If a person doubts whether or not he performed one of the rukns of prayers, in the event that he has not started to perform the act after it, he must perform it. For example, before saying tashahhud, if he doubts whether or not he performed two sajdahs, he must perform them. In the event that afterwards he remembers that he had performed that rukn, then based on obligatory precaution, his prayer is invalid as he will have performed an additional rukn.
Ruling 1161. If a person doubts whether or not he performed an act that is not a rukn of the prayer, in the event that he has not started to perform the act after it, he must perform it. For example, if before reciting the other surah he doubts whether or not he recited Sūrat al-Ḥamd, he must recite Sūrat al-Ḥamd. If after performing it he remembers that he had recited it, his prayer is valid as he will not have performed an additional rukn.
Ruling 1162. If a person doubts whether or not he performed a rukn of the prayer – for example, while saying tashahhud he doubts whether or not he performed the two sajdahs – and he then dismisses his doubt but later remembers that he had not performed that rukn, then in case he has not started to perform the next rukn, he must perform it. However, if he has started to perform the next rukn, his prayer is invalid based on obligatory precaution. For example, if before he performs the rukūʿ of the next rakʿah he remembers that he did not perform the two sajdahs, he must perform them; but, if he remembers this while performing rukūʿ or after it, his prayer is invalid, as mentioned earlier.
Ruling 1163. If a person doubts whether or not he performed an act that is not a rukn, in the event that he has started to perform the next act, he must dismiss his doubt. For example, while reciting the other surah, if he doubts whether or not he recited Sūrat al-Ḥamd, he must dismiss his doubt. If he later remembers that he did not perform it, then in case he has not started to perform the next rukn, he must perform it and whatever comes after it; but, if he has started to perform the next rukn, his prayer is valid. Therefore, if, for example, while performing qunūt he remembers that he did not recite Sūrat al-Ḥamd, he must recite Sūrat al-Ḥamd and the other surah, and if he remembers this in rukūʿ, [he must continue and] his prayer is valid.
Ruling 1164. If a person doubts whether or not he said the salām of the prayer, in the event that he has started reciting taʿqībāt, or he has started to perform another prayer, or he has done something that invalidates prayers, he must dismiss his doubt. If his doubt arises before he has performed these, he must say the salām. If one doubts whether or not he said the salām correctly, he must dismiss his doubt no matter what stage of the prayer he is in.
Ruling 1155. If while reciting a verse one doubts whether or not he recited the previous verse, or while reciting the end of a verse, one doubts whether or not he recited the beginning of it, he must dismiss his doubt.
Ruling 1156. If after rukūʿ or sajdah one doubts whether or not he performed its obligatory acts, such as dhikr and keeping the body still, he must dismiss his doubt.
Ruling 1157. If while going to sajdah one doubts whether or not he performed rukūʿ, or he doubts whether or not he stood up after rukūʿ [before going into sajdah], he must dismiss his doubt.
Ruling 1158. If while standing up one doubts whether or not he performed sajdah or said tashahhud, he must dismiss his doubt.
Ruling 1159. With regard to someone who performs prayers in a sitting or lying position, if while reciting Sūrat al-Ḥamd or al‑tasbīḥāt al‑arbaʿah he doubts whether or not he performed sajdah or said tashahhud, he must dismiss his doubt. However, if before one starts to recite Sūrat al-Ḥamd or al‑tasbīḥāt al‑arbaʿah he doubts whether or not he performed sajdah or said tashahhud, he must perform them.
Ruling 1160. If a person doubts whether or not he performed one of the rukns of prayers, in the event that he has not started to perform the act after it, he must perform it. For example, before saying tashahhud, if he doubts whether or not he performed two sajdahs, he must perform them. In the event that afterwards he remembers that he had performed that rukn, then based on obligatory precaution, his prayer is invalid as he will have performed an additional rukn.
Ruling 1161. If a person doubts whether or not he performed an act that is not a rukn of the prayer, in the event that he has not started to perform the act after it, he must perform it. For example, if before reciting the other surah he doubts whether or not he recited Sūrat al-Ḥamd, he must recite Sūrat al-Ḥamd. If after performing it he remembers that he had recited it, his prayer is valid as he will not have performed an additional rukn.
Ruling 1162. If a person doubts whether or not he performed a rukn of the prayer – for example, while saying tashahhud he doubts whether or not he performed the two sajdahs – and he then dismisses his doubt but later remembers that he had not performed that rukn, then in case he has not started to perform the next rukn, he must perform it. However, if he has started to perform the next rukn, his prayer is invalid based on obligatory precaution. For example, if before he performs the rukūʿ of the next rakʿah he remembers that he did not perform the two sajdahs, he must perform them; but, if he remembers this while performing rukūʿ or after it, his prayer is invalid, as mentioned earlier.
Ruling 1163. If a person doubts whether or not he performed an act that is not a rukn, in the event that he has started to perform the next act, he must dismiss his doubt. For example, while reciting the other surah, if he doubts whether or not he recited Sūrat al-Ḥamd, he must dismiss his doubt. If he later remembers that he did not perform it, then in case he has not started to perform the next rukn, he must perform it and whatever comes after it; but, if he has started to perform the next rukn, his prayer is valid. Therefore, if, for example, while performing qunūt he remembers that he did not recite Sūrat al-Ḥamd, he must recite Sūrat al-Ḥamd and the other surah, and if he remembers this in rukūʿ, [he must continue and] his prayer is valid.
Ruling 1164. If a person doubts whether or not he said the salām of the prayer, in the event that he has started reciting taʿqībāt, or he has started to perform another prayer, or he has done something that invalidates prayers, he must dismiss his doubt. If his doubt arises before he has performed these, he must say the salām. If one doubts whether or not he said the salām correctly, he must dismiss his doubt no matter what stage of the prayer he is in.
[1] In normal circumstances, if one intentionally does not recite Sūrat al-Ḥamd, he is not permitted to recite the other surah. However, in a situation where one has not missed Sūrat al-Ḥamd intentionally and while he is saying the other surah he doubts whether or not he recited Sūrat al-Ḥamd, he must dismiss his doubt.