Doubts in the units of Prayer (Part 3)

According to the fatwas of the Grand Religious Authorities: Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, Ayatollah Sistani, and Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi (may Allah prolong their blessings):

Fatāwā presented without citing a differing opinion or a specific reference are the common rulings shared by all of the three respected Marāji‘. In cases where the ruling of one Marjaʿ differs from that of the other two, it is indicated in a footnote under the same number, mentioning the Marjaʿ by name.

Doubts in the units of Prayer

1. If a doubt which does not invalidate prayer occurs, one should not break off performing the prayer. If one does so, they have committed a sin. In such case, if before doing something that invalidates the prayer, e.g., turning away from the direction of prayer (qiblah), one renews the prayer, the praying person’s second prayer is also invalid. However, if one starts the second prayer after performing one of the prayer invalidators, the second prayer is valid.

Ayatollah Sistani: If one of the valid (correct) doubts occurs for a person, and the time for the prayer is so tight that they cannot restart the prayer, they must not break (invalidate) the prayer; rather, they must act according to the instructions mentioned above. But if there is enough time for the prayer, they may break the prayer and restart it.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: Whenever one of the valid doubts occurs for a person, they are not allowed to break the prayer; rather, they must act according to the instructions mentioned above. In all cases of doubt, they should first think briefly: if they do not reach certainty for either side, and where conjecture is legally valid, no conjecture settles on either side, then if the doubt is one of the invalid doubts, they abandon the prayer; and if it is one of the valid doubts, they act according to its specific ruling.

2. If a doubt arises which requires a precautionary prayer and the praying person finishes the current prayer without reciting the precautionary prayer and then resumes the prayer, they have committed a sin. If one does so before performing one of the prayer invalidators, the second prayer is also invalid. But if one engages in the second prayer after performing one of the prayer invalidators, the second prayer is valid.

Ayatollah Sistani: If, during the prayer, one of the doubts occurs for which Salat al-Ihtiyat (the precautionary prayer) is obligatory, then if the person completes the prayer, the recommended precaution (ihtiyat mustahabb) is that they perform the precautionary prayer, and that they do not restart the main prayer without performing Salat al-Ihtiyat. And if they restart the prayer before doing something that would invalidate the prayer, then their second prayer is also invalid based on obligatory precaution (ihtiyat wajib). However, if they begin the prayer after doing something that invalidates the prayer, then their second prayer is valid.

3. A higher than 50 per cent probability regarding the unit (rak’ah) number in a prayer follows the rules of “certainty”. That is, when one doubts whether they have finished three or four units (Rak’ahs), in case that the probability of one of the choices seems greater, one should act accordingly, and the prayer is correct.

Cautionary Prayer (Salaat ul Ihtiyat)

1. A person for whom the precautionary prayer is obligatory should immediately make the intention of performing it after the concluding salutation (salām) (without disturbing the state of prayer); they should say Allaho akbar (takbīr), recite Chapter (Surah) al-Fātiḥah (without the second chapter [surah]), perform the bow (rukū‘), and perform two prostrations (sajdah). Then, if one must perform one unit (Rak’ah), they should say the testament of faith (tashahhud) [the two fundamental pillars of faith] and the concluding salutation (salām). However, if two units (Rak’ahs) are obligatory for them, after performing the prostrations, one should perform another unit (Rak’ah) like the first unit (Rak’ah) and then recite the testament of faith (tashahhud) [the two fundamental pillars of faith] and the concluding salutation (salām).

2. There is no second chapter (surah) or special in-prayer supplication (qunūt) in a precautionary prayer. One should not make its intention. By way of obligatory precaution, one must recite Chapter (Surah) al-Fātiḥah, including “bismillāhir raḥmānir raḥīm”, all in a whisper.

Ayatollah Sistani: Salat al-Ihtiyat (the precautionary prayer) has no surah and no qunūt. One should not pronounce its intention aloud. And—based on necessary precaution—one should recite Sūrat al-Ḥamd quietly; and the recommended precaution is that its “Bismillāh” should also be said quietly.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: Salat al-Ihtiyat has no adhān, no iqāmah, no surah, and no qunūt. Sūrat al-Ḥamd must be recited quietly; rather, based on obligatory precaution, “Bismillāh” must also be said quietly. And between the main prayer and the precautionary prayer, one must not do anything that would invalidate the prayer.

3. If one realizes that their prayer was correct before they performed the precautionary prayer, one does not need to perform it. Also, if during the precautionary prayer one notices that their prayer was correct, it is not obligatory to finish it.

Invalid Doubts

• Doubts which are invalid and should be ignored are as follows:
  1. Doubt about an act after one has moved to the next action of prayer.

2. Doubt after one has concluded their prayer.

If, after saying the salām of the prayer, a person doubts the number of rakʿahs, and both possibilities of the doubt would invalidate the prayer—for example, after completing a four-rakʿah prayer, he doubts whether he prayed three rakʿahs or five—then the prayer is invalid.

3. Doubt after the time of prayer has already passed.
4. Doubt by a prayer leader (imam) or a follower in a congregational prayer (Ma’mūm).

If the prayer leader (imam) of a congregational prayer doubts the unit (rak’ah) number, for example, whether he has prayed three or four units (Rak’ahs), if the prayer follower (Ma’mūm) is sure or thinks that more probably he has prayed four units (Rak’ahs) and indicates this to the prayer leader (imam), the prayer leader (imam) must finish the prayer, and there is no need to perform the precautionary prayer. Likewise, if the prayer leader (imam) is certain or at least fifty percent sure that he has prayed a certain number of units (Rak’ahs) and the prayer follower (Ma’mūm) doubts the number of Rak’ah of the prayer, this doubt should be ignored.

5. Doubt of a person who doubts too much.

Doubt which arises in recommended (mustaḥab) prayers.