Does the prayer become void if a worshiper stands for the third unit of prayer (rak'ah) and begins reciting Surat Al-Fatihah (by saying "Bismillah"), then returns to the first Tashahhud out of forgetfulness?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
If you return to the first out of forgetfulness, your prayer is valid. However, if you do so knowingly and intentionally, your prayer is invalidated, and you must repeat it. Your ignorance of the prayer's invalidity does not harm you as long as you know that returning is forbidden. Your beginning with the Basmalah is considered a beginning of recitation, according to the view that the Basmalah is a verse of Al-Fatiha.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/186166
Where this answer came from
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 186166
- 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