Almost everyone has stood up from sujood and wondered: “Was that the third rak’ah or the fourth?” The Prophet ﷺ gave clear guidance for exactly this situation. The solution is called Sujood as-Sahw, the two prostrations of forgetfulness.
The two hadiths that answer the question
- Build on certainty: “If one of you is in doubt during his prayer and does not know how many he has prayed, three or four, let him cast aside the doubt and build on what he is sure of, then perform two prostrations before giving salam.” (Sahih Muslim 571)
- Choose what you think is right: “If one of you is in doubt about his prayer, let him aim for what is correct, complete his prayer on that basis, then give salam and make two prostrations.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 401)
What to do, step by step
- If one number feels more likely, go with it and complete the prayer.
- If both feel equal, take the lower number (for example, three instead of four) and pray the remaining rak’ah.
- At the end, make two extra sujood with the takbir, then finish with salam (the exact placement, before or after salam, differs by madhab, as below).
How the madhabs apply this
| Madhab | Practice |
|---|---|
| Hanafi | If doubt is rare for you, repeat the prayer; if it happens often, act on your strongest guess, otherwise the lower number. Recite tashahhud, give one salam to the right, make two sujood, then tashahhud, durood and final salam. |
| Shafi’i | Always build on the lower number; sujood as-sahw before salam. |
| Maliki and Hanbali | Build on certainty or strongest guess, with detailed rules on whether sujood comes before or after salam. |
Follow the madhab of your community or teacher; all these positions are based on the hadiths above.
When doubt happens all the time
Constant doubt (waswasa) is from Shaytan. Scholars advise ignoring doubts that arise after the prayer is finished and not repeating prayers again and again. Pray with focus, keep a steady pace, and if needed count quietly on your fingers. Seek refuge in Allah: the Prophet ﷺ taught a companion troubled in prayer to say “A’udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajim” and spit lightly to the left three times. (Sahih Muslim 2203)
Read more: Missed Fajr? What to do | Namaz timings
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