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4. An excessive doubter (kathīr al‑shakk) →
← 2. Doubt after salām
3. Doubt after the time of prayers
Ruling 1166. If after the time for prayers has expired one doubts whether or not he performed the prayer, or he supposes[1] that he has not, it is not necessary for him to perform that prayer. However, if before the time for prayers has expired he doubts whether or not he performed it, he must perform it even if he supposes he has done so.
Ruling 1167. If after the time for prayers has expired one doubts whether or not he performed the prayer correctly, he must dismiss his doubt.
Ruling 1168. If after the time for ẓuhr and ʿaṣr has expired one knows that he performed a four rakʿah prayer but he does not know whether he performed it with the intention of ẓuhr or ʿaṣr, he must perform another four rakʿah prayer with the intention of making up the prayer that is obligatory for him.
Ruling 1169. If after the time for maghrib and ʿishāʾ has expired one knows that he has performed a prayer but he does not know whether he performed a three or four rakʿah prayer, he must make up both the maghrib and ʿishāʾ prayers.
Ruling 1167. If after the time for prayers has expired one doubts whether or not he performed the prayer correctly, he must dismiss his doubt.
Ruling 1168. If after the time for ẓuhr and ʿaṣr has expired one knows that he performed a four rakʿah prayer but he does not know whether he performed it with the intention of ẓuhr or ʿaṣr, he must perform another four rakʿah prayer with the intention of making up the prayer that is obligatory for him.
Ruling 1169. If after the time for maghrib and ʿishāʾ has expired one knows that he has performed a prayer but he does not know whether he performed a three or four rakʿah prayer, he must make up both the maghrib and ʿishāʾ prayers.
[1] In Islamic law, the difference between a ‘doubt’ (shakk) and a ‘supposition’ (ẓann) is as follows: with a doubt, the person regards the two sides of a possibility as having an equal likelihood of being correct. For example, he does not know whether he performed two rakʿahs or three and he deems both of these possibilities as having an equal likelihood of being correct. In this situation, his uncertainty is referred to as his doubt. With a supposition, however, the person regards one side of the possibility as having a greater likelihood of being correct than the other. In the example above, if the person deems it more likely that he performed three rakʿahs rather than two, then this stronger possibility is his supposition.