Doubts That Invalidate Prayers

Ruling 1151. The following are doubts that invalidate prayers:

1. a doubt about the number of rakʿahs performed in obligatory prayers consisting of two rakʿahs, such as ṣubḥ prayers and the prayer of a traveller. However, a doubt about the number of rakʿahs performed in recommended prayers and ṣalāt al-iḥtiyāṭ does not invalidate them;

2. a doubt about the number of rakʿahs performed in prayers consisting of three rakʿahs;

3. a doubt about whether one has performed one rakʿah or more in a prayer consisting of four rakʿahs;

4. in a prayer consisting of four rakʿahs, before going into the second sajdah, one doubts whether he has performed two rakʿahs or more;

5. a doubt about whether one has performed two or five rakʿahs, or, two or more than five rakʿahs;

6. a doubt about whether one has performed three or six rakʿahs, or, three or more than six rakʿahs;

7. a doubt about the number of rakʿahs when one does not know at all how many rakʿahs he has performed;

8. a doubt about whether one has performed four or six rakʿahs, or four or more than six rakʿahs, as per the details that will be mentioned later.

Ruling 1152. If a person has a doubt that invalidates prayers, it is better that he does not break his prayer as soon as the doubt arises; rather, he should think [about the doubt] to the extent that the form of the prayer breaks up or until he loses hope in attaining certainty or a supposition [about what he has or has not performed].