How do we respond to someone who restricts the principle "certainty is not removed by doubt" in purification to prayer only, citing the hadith: "It was complained to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about a man who imagined that he found something [i.e., passed wind] during prayer. He said: (He should not leave until he hears a sound or perceives a smell)," and who states that the phrase "during prayer" denotes circumstantiality and specificity?

The majority of scholars agree that doubt does not affect certainty. Therefore, whoever is certain of purity and doubts an impurity (hadath) remains in a state of purity, whether the doubt occurs during prayer or outside of it. They cite the hadith: "He should not leave until he hears a sound or perceives a smell."

However, the Malikis are of the view that ablution (wudu') is obligatory for someone who doubts an impurity before prayer, but not during it. They restrict this ruling to those who experience frequent doubts.

The majority of scholars have refuted the Maliki view, stating that there is no difference whether the doubt occurs during prayer or before it, and that this ruling is general for anyone who doubts, not specifically for the person prone to obsessive thoughts (al-mawswas).