Does prayer become invalid in the event of doubting the number of rak'ahs, then adding to them as a precaution, with the intention of performing the prostration of forgetfulness (sujood as-sahw), and upon tasleem remembering the prostration of forgetfulness, returning to it, and then performing tasleem?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
What you did by building on the minimum, performing a fourth رکعة, and prostrating for forgetfulness ( as-Sahw) is correct. However, you made a mistake by returning to Sujud as-Sahw after you had already begun the tasleem (salutation to end the prayer), because you returned from a pillar (rukun) to a . If this return was intentional, then the prayer is invalidated. But if it was due to ignorance of the ruling, then your prayer is valid.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/148891
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 148891
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy