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Doubts in Prayer
Issue 89: If someone doubts whether he performed a prayer after its time has passed, he should ignore the doubt. Similarly, if someone doubts the correctness of a prayer after completing it, he should also ignore the doubt.
Issue 90: If a worshipper doubts the number of rakʿahs in his prayer, it is permissible to interrupt the prayer and start over, although it is recommended to correct the doubt, if possible, without interrupting the prayer. Details on how to correct such doubts will be provided in subsequent issues.
Issue 91: There are two types of doubts in prayer:
First Type: Doubts that invalidate the prayer include doubts about the number of rakʿahs in Fajr or Maghrib prayers and doubts in the first two rakʿahs of Ẓuhr, ʿAṣr, or ʿIshā prayers. If the worshipper’s doubt persists and he has no stronger inclination towards either possibility, the prayer becomes invalid.
Second Type: Doubts that can be corrected and thus the prayer becomes valid.
Examples include doubts in the number of rakʿahs in a four-unit prayer without leaning towards any possibility. The main cases include:
1. If a worshipper doubts after entering the second sujūd and placing his forehead (on the turba) whether he has prayed two or three rakʿahs, he should assume that he has prayed three, complete the prayer, and then perform one rakʿah of precautionary prayer (Ṣalāt al-Iḥtiyāṭ), standing.
2. If a worshipper doubts between three and four rakʿahs at any point in the prayer, he should decide that he has performed four rakʿahs, complete the prayer, and then perform either one rakʿah of precautionary prayer, standing, or two rakʿahs of precautionary prayer, sitting.
3. If a worshipper doubts after entering the second sajdah whether he has prayed two or four rakʿahs, he should assume that has prayed four rakʿahs, complete the prayer, and then perform two rakʿahs of precautionary prayer, standing.
4. If a worshipper doubts after entering the second sajdah whether he has prayed two, three, or four rakʿahs, he should decide that he has performed four rakʿahs, complete the prayer, and then perform two rakʿahs of precautionary prayer, standing, followed by two rakʿahs of precautionary prayer in the sitting position.
5. If a worshipper doubts after entering the second sajdah whether he has performed four or five rakʿahs, he should assume that he has performed four rakʿahs, complete the prayer, and then perform two Sajdah Sahw (prostration of forgetfulness).
Issue 92: Precautionary prayer should be performed immediately after the main prayer and before doing anything that invalidates the prayer. This prayer consists only of Sūrah al-Ḥamd without any other sūrah, and without qunūt. The worshipper should recite al-Ḥamd quietly as an obligatory precaution, even if he was required to recite aloud in the main prayer.
Issue 93: If a worshipper forgets a sajdah due to distraction and it cannot be rectified within the prayer, he must perform the missed sajdah immediately after the prayer. If someone forgets the tashahhud due to distraction and forgetfulness, he must perform two Sajdah Sahw.
Issue 94: Instances requiring two Sajdah Sahw are the following:
1. Speaking unintentionally during prayer (as an obligatory precaution).
2. Saying the salām when it is not supposed to be said (as an obligatory precaution).
3. Doubts between four and five rakʿahs, as stated in Issue 91.
4. General knowledge, after the prayer, of mistakenly adding or omitting something in the prayer that does not invalidate it. As an obligatory precaution, one should perform two Sajdah Sahw.
Additionally, if a worshipper stands where he should sit or sits where he should stand unintentionally, he should perform two Sajdah Sahw as a recommended precaution. In fact, it is better to perform these prostrations for any mistake of addition or omission in the prayer.
Issue 95: Intention (niyyat) is necessary for the two prostrations that are performed on account inadvertence and forgetfulness. It is sufficient to say during the prostration "Bismil lāhi wa billāhi, assalāmu ʿalayka ayyuhan nabiyyu wa raḥmatul lāhi wa barakātuh." Then, raise the head, sit, and perform the second prostration, repeating the same phrase. After raising the head and sitting, recite the tashahhud and conclude with "Assalāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatul lāhi wa barakātuh."
Issue 96: For the two Sajdah Sahw, the worshipper must, as an obligatory precaution, prostrate on something valid for prostration and place the seven parts of his body on the ground. However, other conditions of prostration, like purification and facing the qibla, are not necessary.
Congregational Prayer →
← Things Which Invalidate Prayers
Issue 90: If a worshipper doubts the number of rakʿahs in his prayer, it is permissible to interrupt the prayer and start over, although it is recommended to correct the doubt, if possible, without interrupting the prayer. Details on how to correct such doubts will be provided in subsequent issues.
Issue 91: There are two types of doubts in prayer:
First Type: Doubts that invalidate the prayer include doubts about the number of rakʿahs in Fajr or Maghrib prayers and doubts in the first two rakʿahs of Ẓuhr, ʿAṣr, or ʿIshā prayers. If the worshipper’s doubt persists and he has no stronger inclination towards either possibility, the prayer becomes invalid.
Second Type: Doubts that can be corrected and thus the prayer becomes valid.
Examples include doubts in the number of rakʿahs in a four-unit prayer without leaning towards any possibility. The main cases include:
1. If a worshipper doubts after entering the second sujūd and placing his forehead (on the turba) whether he has prayed two or three rakʿahs, he should assume that he has prayed three, complete the prayer, and then perform one rakʿah of precautionary prayer (Ṣalāt al-Iḥtiyāṭ), standing.
2. If a worshipper doubts between three and four rakʿahs at any point in the prayer, he should decide that he has performed four rakʿahs, complete the prayer, and then perform either one rakʿah of precautionary prayer, standing, or two rakʿahs of precautionary prayer, sitting.
3. If a worshipper doubts after entering the second sajdah whether he has prayed two or four rakʿahs, he should assume that has prayed four rakʿahs, complete the prayer, and then perform two rakʿahs of precautionary prayer, standing.
4. If a worshipper doubts after entering the second sajdah whether he has prayed two, three, or four rakʿahs, he should decide that he has performed four rakʿahs, complete the prayer, and then perform two rakʿahs of precautionary prayer, standing, followed by two rakʿahs of precautionary prayer in the sitting position.
5. If a worshipper doubts after entering the second sajdah whether he has performed four or five rakʿahs, he should assume that he has performed four rakʿahs, complete the prayer, and then perform two Sajdah Sahw (prostration of forgetfulness).
Issue 92: Precautionary prayer should be performed immediately after the main prayer and before doing anything that invalidates the prayer. This prayer consists only of Sūrah al-Ḥamd without any other sūrah, and without qunūt. The worshipper should recite al-Ḥamd quietly as an obligatory precaution, even if he was required to recite aloud in the main prayer.
Issue 93: If a worshipper forgets a sajdah due to distraction and it cannot be rectified within the prayer, he must perform the missed sajdah immediately after the prayer. If someone forgets the tashahhud due to distraction and forgetfulness, he must perform two Sajdah Sahw.
Issue 94: Instances requiring two Sajdah Sahw are the following:
1. Speaking unintentionally during prayer (as an obligatory precaution).
2. Saying the salām when it is not supposed to be said (as an obligatory precaution).
3. Doubts between four and five rakʿahs, as stated in Issue 91.
4. General knowledge, after the prayer, of mistakenly adding or omitting something in the prayer that does not invalidate it. As an obligatory precaution, one should perform two Sajdah Sahw.
Additionally, if a worshipper stands where he should sit or sits where he should stand unintentionally, he should perform two Sajdah Sahw as a recommended precaution. In fact, it is better to perform these prostrations for any mistake of addition or omission in the prayer.
Issue 95: Intention (niyyat) is necessary for the two prostrations that are performed on account inadvertence and forgetfulness. It is sufficient to say during the prostration "Bismil lāhi wa billāhi, assalāmu ʿalayka ayyuhan nabiyyu wa raḥmatul lāhi wa barakātuh." Then, raise the head, sit, and perform the second prostration, repeating the same phrase. After raising the head and sitting, recite the tashahhud and conclude with "Assalāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatul lāhi wa barakātuh."
Issue 96: For the two Sajdah Sahw, the worshipper must, as an obligatory precaution, prostrate on something valid for prostration and place the seven parts of his body on the ground. However, other conditions of prostration, like purification and facing the qibla, are not necessary.
