Hadiths for Category: Salat al-ihtiyat
If you dont know you're in the 2nd or 4th rakaat but 100 percent sure you've done two
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ جَمِيعاً عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا (عَلَيْهِما الْسَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ مَنْ لَمْ يَدْرِ فِي أَرْبَعٍ هُوَ أَمْ فِي ثِنْتَيْنِ وَقَدْ أَحْرَزَ الثِّنْتَيْنِ قَالَ يَرْكَعُ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَأَرْبَعَ سَجَدَاتٍ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ وَيَتَشَهَّدُ وَلاَ شَيْءَ عَلَيْهِ وَإِذَا لَمْ يَدْرِ فِي ثَلاَثٍ هُوَ أَوْ فِي أَرْبَعٍ وَقَدْ أَحْرَزَ الثَّلاَثَ قَامَ فَأَضَافَ إِلَيْهَا أُخْرَى وَلاَ شَيْءَ عَلَيْهِ وَلاَ يَنْقُضُ الْيَقِينَ بِالشَّكِّ وَلاَ يُدْخِلُ الشَّكَّ فِي الْيَقِينِ وَلاَ يَخْلِطُ أَحَدَهُمَا بِالآخَرِ وَلَكِنَّهُ يَنْقُضُ الشَّكَّ بِالْيَقِينِ وَيُتِمُّ عَلَى الْيَقِينِ فَيَبْنِي عَلَيْهِ وَلاَ يَعْتَدُّ بِالشَّكِّ فِي حَالٍ مِنَ الْحَالاَتِ.
Zurarah ibn Ayun 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.’
Ref: Alkafi, Vol 3, P351
Posted By: Khadim Gumnaam
if you're simply clueless and dont know if you've done 2 or 4
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) عَنِ الرَّجُلِ لاَ يَدْرِي رَكْعَتَيْنِ صَلَّى أَمْ أَرْبَعاً قَالَ يَتَشَهَّدُ وَيُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ فَيُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَأَرْبَعَ سَجَدَاتٍ يَقْرَأُ فِيهِمَا بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ ثُمَّ يَتَشَهَّدُ وَيُسَلِّمُ وَإِنْ كَانَ صَلَّى أَرْبَعاً كَانَتْ هَاتَانِ نَافِلَةً وَإِنْ كَانَ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ كَانَتْ هَاتَانِ تَمَامَ الأرْبَعِ وَإِنْ تَكَلَّمَ فَلْيَسْجُدْ سَجْدَتَيِ السَّهْوِ.
Imam jafar(as) was asked 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.’”
Ref: Alkafi, Vol 3, P352
Posted By: Khadim Gumnaam
If you're uncertain if its three or four, but its more like a "leaning" towards three but in his heart is something about the 4th
مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ صَلَّى فَلَمْ يَدْرِ أَ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ هُوَ أَمْ فِي الرَّابِعَةِ قَالَ فَمَا ذَهَبَ وَهْمُهُ إِلَيْهِ إِنْ رَأَى أَنَّهُ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ وَفِي قَلْبِهِ مِنَ الرَّابِعَةِ شَيْءٌ سَلَّمَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ نَفْسِهِ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ يَقْرَأُ فِيهِمَا بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ.
Abu Basir 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.”
Ref: Alkafi, Vol 3, P410
Posted By: Khadim Gumnaam