Is repeated doubt concerning the number of rak'ahs, or prostrations, or sitting for the first tashahhud considered a waswasa (obsessive whisperings) that does not necessitate sujood al-sahw (prostration of forgetfulness), or is sujood al-sahw obligatory even if the doubt recurs more than once in a single day?

If a person experiences excessive doubt in prayer to the point where it becomes like a whisper (waswas), they should not pay attention to it, nor is prostration (sujud (definition)) obligatory for them, because that would lead to a type of obstinacy.

However, if the doubt is not constant every day—meaning it occurs on some days but not on others—then they must build upon the minimum (what they are certain of), rectify their prayer, and perform the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw). Doubt is considered "habitual" (mustankah) if it occurs every day, even if only once.

Maliki jurists are the ones who use the term "istankahahu al-shakk" (doubt has become habitual for him) to indicate the prevalence and frequency of doubt, while others express it as the dominance or abundance of doubt to the point where it becomes a habit.