Is the prayer valid if the worshipper makes a mistake in the number of rak'ahs and forgets the prostrations of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw) before and after the taslim, and then gets up from the prayer?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The question is general, but if the increase in the number of rak'ahs (units of prayer) was due to forgetfulness, then the prayer is valid, and the is to perform the two prostrations of forgetfulness ( al-sahw). However, if the error was a decrease in the number of rak'ahs, meaning a rak'ah was inadvertently omitted and not performed, then the prayer is not valid and must be repeated, because the prostrations of forgetfulness do not compensate for the omission of a pillar (of prayer).
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/139575
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 139575
- 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