What is the ruling on repeating the Isti'adhah (seeking refuge with Allah) and Basmalah (saying "Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim") before a surah after Al-Fatihah in prayer, and does that necessitate a prostration of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw) due to obsessive thoughts about intention?
We ask Allah Almighty for a swift recovery for the person afflicted with OCD. The cure for OCD is to ignore it. The intention is a simple matter; merely facing the Qiblah, having the intention for prayer, and then saying the Takbir is sufficient. What crosses your mind about changing an obligatory prayer into a prayer is from the effects of obsessive whispers, and it does not invalidate the prayer. Whoever has frequent doubts should not pay attention to them.
As for seeking refuge (Al-Isti'adhah), it is recommended in the first rak'ah according to some scholars, while some recommend it in every rak'ah, and some dislike it in obligatory prayers. Your performing Al-Isti'adhah in an inappropriate place does not invalidate the prayer, nor does it necessitate a prostration of forgetfulness ( Sahw). Your prayer is valid and you do not need to repeat it.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/149027
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 149027
- 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