Many of us have doubts while performing our daily prayers and don’t know what the rulings on these doubts are. Join this section of SaedNews to learn more about doubts during prayer.
Doubts in prayer are divided into 23 types. Some doubts that arise during prayer are insignificant and should be ignored, but for others, there are specific duties prescribed for the worshiper.
If the worshiper experiences any of the following doubts, their prayer becomes invalid. This means that with these doubts, the person cannot complete the prayer; they must pause and think. If the doubt is resolved, the prayer is valid and can be continued, but if the doubt remains unresolved and the mind stays stuck, the prayer is invalid.
These invalidating doubts include:
If the worshiper doubts the number of units (rak‘ats) in a two-unit prayer, the prayer is invalid.
If the worshiper doubts the number of units in a three-unit prayer, they must repeat the prayer.
If the worshiper doubts the number of units in a four-unit prayer before finishing the second prostration (sajdah), the prayer is invalid.
If the worshiper doubts whether the number of rak‘ats is 2 or 5, or 2 or more than 5, the prayer is invalid.
If the worshiper doubts whether the number of rak‘ats is 3 or 6, or 3 or more than 6, they must repeat the prayer.
If the worshiper doubts whether the number of rak‘ats is 4 or 6, or 4 or more than 6, the prayer is invalid and must be repeated.
If the worshiper does not know or doubts how many rak‘ats they have prayed, the prayer is invalid and must be repeated.
Doubt about something that the worshiper has already passed in the prayer, for example, doubting during bowing (ruku‘) whether they recited Al-Fatiha or another surah.
Doubt after finishing the prayer (after salam).
Doubt about whether the prayer time has passed.
Doubt by someone who frequently doubts during prayer (called kathir al-shakk).
Doubt of the imam about the number of rak‘ats when the follower (ma’mum) knows, or the doubt of the follower about the number of rak‘ats when the imam knows. In the first case, the imam resolves the doubt by referring to the follower; in the second case, the follower resolves it by referring to the imam.
Doubts during voluntary (nawafil) prayers.
1. One-unit precautionary prayer:
Without turning your head away from the Qibla, quietly recite Al-Fatiha, then perform bowing (ruku‘), two prostrations (sajdah), then recite Tashahhud and Salam to end the prayer.
2. Two-unit standing precautionary prayer:
Without turning your head away from the Qibla, like the two-unit morning prayer, recite Al-Fatiha without a surah in each unit, then bow (ruku‘).
Q516: Someone doubts in the third rak‘at whether they performed Qunoot or not. What is the ruling? Should they continue or stop the prayer from the moment of doubt?
A: This doubt is not to be considered, and the prayer is valid. There is no obligation on the person regarding this.
Q517: In voluntary (Nafl) prayers, if there is doubt about anything other than the number of rak‘ats, such as whether one or two prostrations were performed, should it be considered?
A: Doubts about actions and recitations in Nafl prayers have the same ruling as those in obligatory prayers: if the doubt is about something passed, it is not considered; if it is about something not passed, it should be considered.
Q518: Since someone who frequently doubts (kathir al-shakk) should not pay attention to their doubts, what should they do if a doubt occurs during prayer?
A: They should assume they have done the doubtful action unless it would invalidate the prayer. In that case, they should avoid it. There is no difference between doubts about rak‘ats, actions, or recitations.
