Mistakes in Salah (Prayer) of Three or Four Rak‘at

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who performs Salah (prayer) but does not know if he is in the third or fourth Rak‘at. He (the Imam) said, ‘It depends on what his guessing indicates. If he according to his guess thinks it is the third or fourth he accepts it along with his soul, then performs two Rak‘at in which he reads al-Fatihah al-Kitab only.”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If one’s guess settles on his performing three or four Rak‘at, he says the phrase of offering greeting of peace, then performs two Rak‘at and four Sujud (prostrations) with al-Fatihah al-Kitab in a sitting position and says Tashahhud (testimonies of belief).”’

“I once asked one of the two Imam, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, about a man who performs Salah (prayer) but does not know if he is in the second or fourth Rak‘at but he knows that he has performed two Rak‘at. He (the Imam) said, ‘He performs two Rak‘at and four Sujud (prostrations). He does it in a standing position with al-Fatihah al-Kitab and Tashahhud (testimonies of belief) and he is not obligated for anything in this matter. If he does not know he is in the third or fourth and if he has secured three Rak‘at, he stands up to perform one more Rak‘at and he is not obligated for anything in this matter. He does not destroy his certainty with doubt and doubt does not enter into certainty. No one of them mixes with the other but doubt is destroyed by certainty and he completes with certainty, based on certainty and does not depend on doubt in no condition whatsoever.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who does not know if he has performed two Rak‘at or four. He (the Imam) said, ‘He says Tashahhud (testimonies of belief) and the phrase of offering greeting of peace, then stands up to perform two Rak‘at and four Sujud (prostrations) in which he reads al-Fatihah al-Kitab, thereafter says Tashahhud (testimonies of belief) and the phrase of offering greeting of peace. If he has, in fact, performed four Rak‘at, the two Rak‘at are optional; but if they were two Rak‘at, then these two Rak‘at complete the four, and if he has spoken something other than what is part of Salah (prayer) he performs two Sajdah (prostrations) because of mistake.’”

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘The case of doubt whether it is three or four or if it is two or four is of the same position. If one doubts and does not know if he has performed three or four and his doubt about both sides are equal’, he (the Imam) said, ‘Such person stands up and completes (Salah (prayer)). He then sits down, says Tashahhud (testimonies of belief) and the phrase of offering greeting of peace then performs two Rak’ah and four Sujud (prostrations) in a sitting position. If his doubt has a greater side toward four, he says Tashahhud (testimonies of belief) and the phrase of offering greeting of peace then reads al-Fatihah al-Kitab and performs Ruku’ (bowing down on one’s knees) and Sajdah (prostration) then reads and performs two Sajdah (prostration), says Tashahhud (testimonies of belief) and the phrase of offering greeting of peace. If the greater side of his doubt is toward two Rak’ah, he stands up, performs two Rak’ah, says Tashahhud (testimonies of belief) and the phrase of offering greeting of peace.’”

“Abu ‘Abdullah (a.s.), about the case of one who performs Salah (prayer) and doubts if he has prayed two, three, or four Rak‘ah, has said, ‘ He stands up and performs two Rak’ah in a standing position. He then says the phrase of offering greeting of peace, then performs two Rak’ah in a sitting position, and says the phrase of offering greeting of peace. If, in fact, they were four Rak’ah the two Rak’ah become optional; otherwise, they complete the four Rak’ah.’”

“Abu ‘Abdullah (a.s.), has said, ‘If you do not know whether you have performed three or four Rak’ah and your thought settles on three, then consider it three. If your thought settles on four, say Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) and end Salah (prayer). If your guess is equal; end Salah (prayer), then perform two Rak’ah in a sitting position.’”

“Abu ‘Abdullah (a.s.), has said, ‘ You may not know whether you have performed two or four Rak’ah and your guess about one side is not greater than the other side. You must say Tashahhud (testimonies of belief) and Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace), then perform two Rak’ah and four Sujud (prostrations). Read in them ‘ Umm al-Quran, then say Tashahhud (testimonies of belief) and Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace). If, in fact, you had performed two Rak’ah these two complete the four and if, in fact, you had performed four, these two become optional. If you do not know whether you have performed three or four Rak’ah and your guess about one side is not greater than the other; say Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace), then perform two Rak’ah in a sitting position. Read in them al-Fatihah al-Kitab. If your guess about three is greater, then perform the fourth Rak’ah. Do not perform two Sajdah (prostration) because of mistake. If your guess about four is greater; say Tashahhud (testimonies of belief) and Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) then perform two Sajdah (prostration) because of mistake.’”

“Abu ‘Abdullah (a.s.), has said, ‘ One may not know whether he has performed three or four and his guess about both sides is equal. (For such case) he (the narrator) has said that he (the Imam) said, ‘If his guess is equal about three and four, he has the choice to perform one Rak’ah standing or two Rak’ah in a sitting position and four Sujud (prostrations) in a sitting position.’ He (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who does not know if he has performed two or four Rak’ah and his guess about four is greater or about two Rak‘at, he (the Imam) said that he performs two Rak‘at and four Sujud (prostrations). He (the Imam) said, ‘If your guess about two Rak‘at and four is equal, then this and the case of doubt about whether it is three or four Rak‘at is not the same.”’