What is the ruling regarding my prayer in which I doubted the number of Rak'ahs and favored the larger number, but did not perform the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw)? And what should I do if I don't know exactly which prayer it was, though I predominantly believe it was the Maghrib prayer?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
If you built upon the greater number after it became preponderant in your estimation, then your prayer is valid. This is the legal ruling according to a group of scholars, as stated in "Al-Sharh Al-Mumti'" by Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen. So, if you doubt the number of rak'ahs and one of the possibilities becomes preponderant in your estimation, act upon it and perform two prostrations (of forgetfulness) after the salutation. However, abandoning the prostrations of forgetfulness after the salutation does not invalidate the 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/137733
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 137733
- 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