1207. There are nine cases, in which, if a doubt concerning the rak‘ah of prayer arises in a four rak‘ah prayer, a person should cogitate and based on obligatory precaution, he should not delay his cogitation. If he attains certitude or suspects one of the possibilities in his doubt, he should act according to it, and complete his prayer. If he does not attain certitude or does not have a reasonable doubt about any of the possibilities, he should act in accordance with the subsequent nine instructions:
First: If after completing the obligatory dhikr of the second sujÙd, a person doubts whether he has performed two or three rak‘ah, he should assume he has performed three rak‘ah, perform another rak‘ah and complete his prayer. After the prayer, he should offer a single rak‘ah of iÎtiyÁÔ prayer standing.
Second: If after completing the obligatory dhikr of the second sujÙd, a person doubts whether he has performed two or four rak‘ah—although there is case to be made for offering the option between starting the prayer from the beginning, or assuming that one has offered four rak‘ah and performing the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer—obligatory precaution however, dictates he should assume he has offered four rak‘ah, complete his prayer and offer a two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer standing.
Third: If after completing the obligatory dhikr of the second sujÙd, a person doubts whether he has performed two, three or four rak‘ah, he should assume he has performed four rak‘ah, complete his prayer and then offer a two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer standing and then another two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer sitting.
Fourth: If after completing the obligatory dhikr of the second sujÙd, a person doubts whether he has performed four or five rak‘ah, he should assume he has performed four rak‘ah, complete his prayer and offer two sajdah al-sahw.
However, if any one of these four doubts arise after completing the first sujÙd, or prior to completing the obligatory dhikr of the second sujÙd, his prayer will be invalid.
Fifth: If during any component of prayer, a person doubts whether he has performed three or four rak‘ah, he should assume he has performed four rak‘ah and complete his prayer. Based on the opinion of a great number of renowned scholars, he should then offer either a single rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer standing or a two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer sitting. However, obligatory precaution dictates that he should select the two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer sitting.
Sixth: If a person doubts whether he has performed four or five rak‘ah while he is standing, he should sit down, recite the tashahhud and salÁm. Based on the opinion of a great number of renowned scholars, he should then offer either a single rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer standing or a two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer sitting. However, obligatory precaution dictates that he should select the two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer sitting.
Seventh: If a person doubts whether he has performed three or five rak‘ah while he is standing, he should sit down, recite the tashahhud and salÁm, and then offer a two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer standing, as previously elaborated in the second case.
Eight: If a person doubts whether he has performed three, four or five rak‘ah while he is standing, he should sit down, recite the tashahhud and salÁm, and then offer a two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer standing and then a two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer sitting.
Ninth: If a person doubts whether he has performed five or six rak‘ah while he is standing, he should sit down, recite the tashahhud and salÁm, and then offer two sajdah al-sahw.
Recommended precaution dictates that a person should also offer two sajdah al-sahw for standing inopportunely in the last four cases.
1208. If a valid doubt arises, one should not break his prayer. It is necessary for a person to act according to the instructions that have been prescribed for his doubt. If a person does not act according to these instructions, and begins another prayer without performing an act that invalidates (his first) prayer, such as turning away from the qiblah, both his prayers will be deemed invalid. However, if he performs an act that invalidates prayer and then begins another prayer, his second prayer will be valid.
1209. If a doubt arises for a person, for which the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer becomes obligatory, he should offer it upon completing his prayer and not repeat his prayer from the beginning. If a person does not offer the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer, and repeats his prayer from the beginning without performing an action that invalidates prayer, his second prayer will also be deemed invalid. However, if a person engages in prayer after performing an action that invalidates prayer, his second prayer will be valid.
1210. If an invalidating doubt arises for a person, and he knows that if he proceeds to the next component of prayer, it will result in certainty or conjecture for him, it is not permissible for him to continue his prayer in the state of doubt. For example, if while standing, a doubt arises for a person whether he has performed one rak‘ah or more, and he knows if he proceeds to rukÙ, it will result in either certainty or conjecture with respect to one of the possibilities, it is not permissible for him to proceed to rukÙ.
1211. If a valid doubt—as previously elaborated—arises in the mind of a person, he should contemplate immediately. One may delay his contemplation, so long as anything that may give rise to certainty or conjecture towards one side of the doubt is not eliminated by this delay. For example, if a person doubts during sujÙd, he may delay his contemplation until after the sujÙd.
1212. If a person initially conjectures, leaning towards one of two possibilities, but later the two possibilities become equal in his eyes, he should act in accordance with the instructions prescribed for the doubt. However, if both possibilities are initially equal in his eyes, and he adopts the possibility that is in accordance to his obligation, but then he conjectures, leaning towards one of the two possibilities, he should adopt that possibility and complete his obligation.
1213. A person who does not know whether he is more inclined towards one of the two possibilities or whether both possibilities are equal in his eyes, should act according to the instructions prescribed for the doubt. The recommended precaution is that if the doubt is amongst the doubts which are valid, and a case of the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer, then if the possibility that he entertains is the higher number (of rak‘ah), he should complete his prayer based on that possibility and offer the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer as well. If however, the possibility that he entertains is the lower number, of it his doubts is not amongst the valid doubts, he should complete his prayer based on that possibility, and then repeat his prayer.
1214. If a person realizes that he had entertained a doubt during prayer, for example he had doubted whether he had offered two or three rak‘ah, and he assumed he had offered three rak‘ah, but having completed his prayers, he does not know whether his conjecture was towards three rak‘ah or whether both were equal in his eyes, he should offer the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer.1214. If a person realizes that he had entertained a doubt during prayer, for example he had doubted whether he had offered two or three rak‘ah, and he assumed he had offered three rak‘ah, but having completed his prayers, he does not know whether his conjecture was towards three rak‘ah or whether both were equal in his eyes, he should offer the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer.1214. If a person realizes that he had entertained a doubt during prayer, for example he had doubted whether he had offered two or three rak‘ah, and he assumed he had offered three rak‘ah, but having completed his prayers, he does not know whether his conjecture was towards three rak‘ah or whether both were equal in his eyes, he should offer the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer.1214. If a person realizes that he had entertained a doubt during prayer, for example he had doubted whether he had offered two or three rak‘ah, and he assumed he had offered three rak‘ah, but having completed his prayers, he does not know whether his conjecture was towards three rak‘ah or whether both were equal in his eyes, he should offer the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer.1214. If a person realizes that he had entertained a doubt during prayer, for example he had doubted whether he had offered two or three rak‘ah, and he assumed he had offered three rak‘ah, but having completed his prayers, he does not know whether his conjecture was towards three rak‘ah or whether both were equal in his eyes, he should offer the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer.1214. If a person realizes that he had entertained a doubt during prayer, for example he had doubted whether he had offered two or three rak‘ah, and he assumed he had offered three rak‘ah, but having completed his prayers, he does not know whether his conjecture was towards three rak‘ah or whether both were equal in his eyes, he should offer the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer.1214. If a person realizes that he had entertained a doubt during prayer, for example he had doubted whether he had offered two or three rak‘ah, and he assumed he had offered three rak‘ah, but having completed his prayers, he does not know whether his conjecture was towards three rak‘ah or whether both were equal in his eyes, he should offer the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer.1214. If a person realizes that he had entertained a doubt during prayer, for example he had doubted whether he had offered two or three rak‘ah, and he assumed he had offered three rak‘ah, but having completed his prayers, he does not know whether his conjecture was towards three rak‘ah or whether both were equal in his eyes, he should offer the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer.
1215. If while reciting the tashahhud, or after standing up, a person doubts whether he has performed two sujÙd or not, and he concurrently entertains one of the doubts that are valid after completing two sujÙd, such as doubting whether he has performed two or three rak‘ah, his prayer will be deemed valid so long as he observes the instruction prescribed for that doubt.
1216. If a person doubts whether he has performed one or two sujÙd prior to engaging in tashahhud, or prior to standing up (in a rak‘ah that does not have a tashahhud), and he concurrently entertains one of the doubts that is valid after performing two sujÙd, his prayer will be deemed invalid.
1217. If whilst standing, a person entertains a doubt between three and four, or three, four and five rak‘ah, and he recollects that he omitted one or two sujÙd from the previous rak‘ah, his prayer will be deemed invalid.
1218. If a person’s doubt is eliminated, but another doubt arises—for example, a person first doubts whether he performed two or three rak‘ah, then doubts whether he has performed three or four rak‘ah—he should act according to the instructions prescribed for the second doubt.
1219. If after completing his prayer, a person doubts whether he had entertained a doubt, for example, between two and four rak‘ah, or three and four rak‘ah, he may disengage from the prayer and after performing an action that invalidates prayer, such as turning his back to the qiblah or speaking deliberately, he may repeat his prayer, though recommended precaution dictates that he should act according to the instructions for both of the doubts and then repeat his prayer.
1220. If after completing his prayer, a person realizes that a doubt had risen for him during prayer, but does not know whether it was a valid doubt or not, or if it was a valid doubt, he does not know which of the valid doubts it was, he may disengage from his prayer, perform an act that invalidates the prayer, and then repeat his prayer. However, recommended precaution dictates that he should first act according to the prescribed obligations for valid doubts and then repeat his prayer.
1221. If a person who offers his prayers sitting, entertains a doubt for which it is necessary to offer a one rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer standing, or a two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer sitting, he should offer a one rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer sitting. If he entertains a doubt for which it is necessary to offer a two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer standing, he should offer two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer sitting.
1222. If a person who offers his prayers standing, becomes unable to stand while offering the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer, he should complete his prayer in a manner that a person who is sitting would offer it, the rulings of which were previously elaborated.
1223. If a person, who offers his prayers sitting, is able to stand during the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer, he should act according to the duty of one who offers his prayers standing.
