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.
1224. A person, upon whom the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer is obligatory, should immediately stipulate the intention for iÎtiyÁÔ prayer after reciting salÁm. He should then pronounce the takbÐrat al-iÎrÁm, recite sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah and then proceed to rukÙ and sujÙd. If a one rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer is obligatory on him, he should recite the tashahhud after the two sujÙd and recite salÁm. However, if a two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer is obligatory upon him, after the two sujÙd he should perform another rak‘ah similar to the first rak‘ah, and recite salÁm after the tashahhud.
1225. There is no qunÙt or second sÙrah in the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer. One should recite it in a low voice and should not verbalize its intention. Obligatory precaution dictates that the (بسم الله) should also be recited in a low voice.
1226. If prior to offering the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer, a person realizes that he offered his prayer correctly, the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer would thereafter not be applicable. If a person realizes during the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer, it is not necessary for him to complete it and may thereafter complete it with the intention of a two rak‘ah nÁfilah prayer.
1227. If prior to offering the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer, a person realizes that the rak‘ah he performed were less than what is required, he should perform what was omitted so long as he has not performed an act that invalidates prayer. Obligatory precaution dictates that he should offer two sajdat al-sahw for the inopportune salÁm and for any other extraneous instance that may have occurred. However, if he has performed an action that invalidates prayer, such as turning his back to the qiblah, he should repeat his prayer.
1228. If after offering the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer, a person realizes that the portion omitted from his prayer is equal to the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer—for example, if the doubt was between two and four rak‘ah, and a person offers a two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer, and it later transpires that he did in fact only perform two rak‘ah—his prayer will be valid.س
1229. If after offering the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer, a person realizes that portion omitted from his prayer is less than the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer—for example, if the doubt was between two and four rak‘ah, and a person offers a two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer, and it later transpires that he had in fact performed three rak‘ah—he should repeat his prayer
1230. If after offering the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer, a person realizes that the omitted portion of his prayer is greater than the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer, and has performed an act that invalidates prayer, such as turning his back to the qiblah, he should repeat his prayer. However, if he has not performed an act that invalidates prayer, obligatory precaution dictates he should supplement the omitted portion to his prayer and complete it. He should then offer two sajdat al-sahw for the inopportune salÁm in the actual prayer and the iÎtiyÁÔ prayer, and for any other extraneous instance that may have occurred. He should then repeat his prayer.
1231. If a person entertains a doubt between two, three and four rak‘ah, and after performing two rak‘ah of iÎtiyÁÔ prayer standing, he recollects that he had performed two rak‘ah of prayer, it is not necessary for him to offer two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer sitting.
1232. If a person entertains a doubt between three and four rak‘ah, and during the two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer that is offered sitting, prior to arriving at the first rukÙ, he recollects that he had in fact performed three rak‘ah, he should disregard what he has offered, and should complete the omitted portion of his prayer, as dictated by obligatory precaution.
He should then offer two sajdat al-sahw for the additional salÁm, and another two for the additional tashahhud, if there was any, and then repeat his prayer. However, if he recollects after rukÙ, his prayer will be deemed invalid.
1233. If a person entertains a doubt between two, three and four rak‘ah, and during the two rak‘ah iÎtiyÁÔ prayer that is offered standing, prior to arriving at the second rukÙ, he recollects that he had in fact performed three rak‘ah, then obligatory precaution will dictate that he sit and complete his iÎtiyÁÔ prayer as a one rak‘ah prayer. He should then offer two sajdat al-sahw for the additional salÁm and another two for the additional tashahhud, if there was any, and repeat his prayer.
