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What is the ruling on someone who prayed, made a mistake in their prayer, doubted whether they were required to perform the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw), so they performed it as a precautionary measure, and is this prostration sufficient for them if the act did necessitate the prostration of forgetfulness?

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If someone experiences frequent doubts in prayer, to the extent that it occurs daily, even if only once, they should disregard these doubts, and a prostration of forgetfulness (sujood as-sahw) is not required of them. If one doubts the obligation of sujood as-sahw and performs it as a precaution, and then it becomes clear that it was indeed obligatory, their prostration suffices according to the view of Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. This is because the one who doubts performs it with the intention of obligation when acting preemptively, and it suffices for the obligation even if the obligation becomes clear to them afterward.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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