The Creed of Compassion-Islamic Teachings & Answering Doctrinal Misconceptions

Issue No. 1060 - If after the time of ẓuhr and ‘aṣr prayers has passed, a person knows that he has offered only four rak‘ats, but does not know whether it has been with the intention of ẓuhr or ‘aṣr, he should, offer four rak‘ats of qaḍā prayer with the intention of whatever is obligatory due upon him. However, if after the time of maghrib and ‘ishā’ prayers has elapsed and a person knows that he has offered one prayer, but does not know whether it was of three or four rak‘ats, he should offer the qaḍā of both maghrib and ‘ishā’ prayers.

Issue No.1061- Kathīr al-shak, which is a person who doubts too much, should ignore his doubts, whether the doubt relates to the number of the rak‘ats, to parts of the prayer, or the conditions of prayer.

Issue No.1062- Kathīr al-shak (obsessive) is a person about whom it could be said that he doubts quite frequently. If a person doubts three times in one prayer or doubts in three prayers in a row, he is regarded as Kathīr al-shak.

Issue No. 1063 - If a person temporarily becomes Kathīr al-shak due to an exceptional case such as sickness, anger, or calamity, he should pay heed to his doubt and act according to the rules prescribed for it.

Issue No. 1064 - Ignoring one’s doubt means that he should take the side of the doubt, which is best for him. For instance, if he doubts whether he has performed sajdah or rukū‘, he should regard it as performed even though it’s time may have not yet passed, or if he doubts whether he has performed two rak‘ats or three rak‘ats while offering fajr prayer, he should consider that he has performed two rak‘ats.

Issue No. 1065 - If a person, who doubts excessively about a particular act of prayer, (for example, in sūrah al-fātiḥa and the following sūrah), doubts about other acts of prayer, he should act according to the rules of doubt. He should ignore the doubt about the act, about which he frequently doubts. In addition, if a person frequently doubts in a particular prayer like fajr prayer, he should only ignore the doubt in that prayer, or if a person frequently doubts in a particular place, for example, if he often doubts while offering prayer in a gathering of people, he should ignore his doubts only in that situation.

Issue No. 1066 - A person who doubts whether or not he has become Kathīr al-shak should consider himself not so. On the contrary, if he has been Kathīr al-shak, insofar as he is not sure that he has returned to the normal condition, he should ignore his doubt.

Issue No. 1067 - If a Kathīr al-shak person doubts whether or not he has performed a foundational element (e.g. rukū‘), and ignores his doubt, but remembers later that he had actually not performed it he should perform it, if he has not entered into the next foundational element (rukn). And if he has entered the next foundational element, his prayer is void. But if he doubts about an act, which is not a foundational element and remembers later that he had not performed it, and has not yet commenced the next foundational element, he should perform it, and if he has entered the next foundational element, he should not go back and his prayer is correct.

Issue No. 1068 – Obsessive individuals should not act on their certainty or doubt, rather they should act like normal individuals irrespective of whether they become sure or not; otherwise, their prayers would be void in many cases.

Issue No. 1070 - In order to inform the imam, the follower may tap his knee with his hand as many times as the rak‘ats of the prayer have been performed, or say Allahu Akbar, or inform him in any other way, which does not involve talking, or acts that invalidate prayer. However, he should not rise and continue the prayer before the imam.

Issue No. 1073 - There is no difference between doubts in the acts of obligatory or recommended prayers. For example, if one doubts about sūrah al-fātiḥa or rukū‘, and its time of performance has not passed yet, he should perform it, and if it has, then he should ignore it.

Issue No.1072- Omission or addition of foundational elements in recommended prayer (nāfilah) also invalidates it as an obligatory precaution.