761. The ‘aÒr prayer must be prayed after the Ûuhr, and the ‘ishÁ prayer must be prayed after the maghrib. If one deliberately prays ‘aÒr before Ûuhr or ‘ishÁ before maghrib, his prayers are invalid.
762. If a person begins his prayer with the intention of Ûuhr and during his prayer he realizes he has already offered the Ûuhr prayer, he cannot change his intention to the ‘aÒr prayer. He must discontinue his prayer and start ‘aÒr prayer afresh. The same applies for maghrib and ‘ishÁ prayers.
763. While praying the ‘aÒr prayer, if a person doubts whether he has prayed the Ûuhr prayer or not, he must change his intention to the Ûuhr prayer. However, if there is inadequate time and after the completion of the prayer the sun will have set, not leaving time for even a single rak‘ah, he must complete his prayer with the intention of the ‘aÒr prayer. He must then consider his Ûuhr prayer to have been completed [i.e. ignore his doubt].
764. If a person becomes certain or content during his ‘aÒr prayer that he had not prayed the Ûuhr prayer, and changes his intention to the Ûuhr prayer, and then he remembers—before performing any part of the prayer—that he did actually pray his Ûuhr prayer, he must complete the rest with the intention of the ‘aÒr prayer.
The same will apply if he has not performed a rukn of prayer. In this case he must repeat the dhikr and qirÁÞah that he had performed with the intention of the Ûuhr prayer, with the intention of the ‘aÒr prayer. In both these cases, based on recommended precaution, he should complete the prayer and repeat the prayer he offered with the intention of the ‘aÒr prayer.
However, if that which he had performed was a rak‘ah, a rukÙ‘ or two sujÙd, he must repeat his ‘aÒr prayer
765. If a person doubts during the ‘ishÁ prayer, before reaching the rukÙ‘ of the fourth rak‘ah, as to whether he has prayed maghrib or not, and there is inadequate time for even one rak‘ah to be prayed after the completion of the prayer, he must complete the rest of his prayer with the intention of the ‘ishÁ prayer. He must then consider his maghrib prayer to have been completed [i.e. ignore the doubt].
In the case that there is adequate time for him to complete one rak‘ah or more, he must change his intention to the maghrib prayer, complete a three rak‘ah prayer, and then offer the ‘ishÁ prayer.
766. If a person doubts during the ‘ishÁ prayer, after having reached the rukÙ‘ of the fourth rak‘ah, as to whether he has prayed maghrib or not, his prayer is invalid if his time is not constricted. In this case he must repeat both maghrib and ‘ishÁ prayers. Similarly his prayer is invalid and should be repeated if there is adequate time to complete five rak‘ah.
In the case the time left is less than this, he should complete his ‘ishÁ prayer which will be considered valid. He should then consider his maghrib prayer to have been completed [i.e. ignore his doubt].
767. If a person repeats a prayer he has already prayed due to precaution, and during his prayer he remembers that he has not prayed the prayer prior to it, he cannot change his intention to the prior prayer. For example, if a person is praying his ‘aÒr prayer (again) due to precaution, and he remembers he has not prayed his Ûuhr prayer, he cannot change his intention to the Ûuhr prayer.
768. It is not permissible to change ones intention from qaÃÁ to adÁ or from a recommended prayer to an obligatory prayer.
769. If there is ample time left for prayers, it is permissible for a person to change his intention from adÁ to qaÃÁ during his prayer. In such a case, the changing of intention should be possible. For example, if he wishes to change his intention from the Ûuhr prayer to the fajr prayer, his must not have entered the rukÙ‘ of the third rak‘ah.
