Doubt about prayer validity
I am someone that has doubts with every prayer and wudhu. Recently I read that “Meanwhile, scholars state that ending a prayer with Tasleem without being certain of its perfection nullifies prayer”.
Does this mean I have to repeat my prayers if I am not certain of perfection? For example: when doing wudhu I felt discomfort in my stomach and dismissed it as a doubt. When I was completing my prayer, this doubt came back to me and I felt doubtful about my wudhu again. Do I need to repeat my prayer?
Answer
Assalāmuʿalaykum Wa Raḥmatullāhi Wa Barakātuh
What the scholars mean is that if a person wishes to complete their prayers whilst doubting whether or not they had fulfilled those actions which are necessary for the validity of prayer, then such a prayer will be null and void.
It is understood that acts of worship cannot be valid if a person is not certain whether he had fulfilled all its requirements or not.
In the example provided, if after performing Wuḍū you were certain that it was valid because you had fulfilled all its basic requirements, then by doubting it later, it will not be nullified; hence, if this doubt comes about in your prayers, then your prayers would be valid and will not have to be repeated.
However, if after performing Wuḍū you were not certain as to whether or not it was valid by fulfilling all its basic requirements, then in such a case, that Wuḍū will not be valid and will therefore have to be repeated before proceeding towards the fulfillment of your prayers.