Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (3/383)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

is counted for you. Must he perform the prostration for forgetfulness or not? It will come later, Allah willing, that the follower is not required to perform the prostration if he has not missed any part of the prayer. But if he has missed part of the prayer, he must perform it.

If he says, “It seems more likely to me that I did not catch it,” we say: Do not count this rakʿah; complete your prayer, then perform the prostration for forgetfulness after the salām. If he says, “I am uncertain, and it does not seem more likely to me that I caught it,” we say: Base your prayer on certainty; do not count it; complete your prayer; and perform the prostration for forgetfulness before the salām.

Issue: If one bases his prayer on certainty, or on what seems more likely to him, then it becomes clear that he was correct in what he did, must he perform the prostration for forgetfulness?

For example, a man is uncertain whether he has prayed three or four rakʿahs, with neither possibility outweighing the other. So he treats them as three and performs a fourth rakʿah; but during that rakʿah, he becomes certain that it is the fourth.

The scholars have two views regarding this:

The first view: (2) He is not required to perform the prostration, because it has become clear that there was neither an addition nor an omission. The prostration is only required to make up for what was omitted, whereas here he neither omitted nor added anything. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “and he does not know whether he has prayed three or four,” (3) whereas this man knows how many rakʿahs he prayed; therefore, no prostration is due from him.

The second view: He must perform the prostration, because the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “and he does not know how many he has prayed.” This is so that he may base his prayer on what he has determined; and the apparent meaning is that, even if he comes to know afterward, he must still prostrate, due to his words: “If he has prayed five, they will make them even for him

(1) See p. 389. (2) Al-Insaf, 4:69. (3) Its source reference has been given above on p. 380.

محسوبة لك، وهل يسجد أو لا يسجد؟ سيأتينا (١) إن شاء الله أن المأموم لا يجب عليه السُّجود، إذا كان لم يفته شيء من الصَّلاة، وإنْ فاته شيء من الصَّلاة وَجَبَ عليه أن يسجد. وإن قال: يغلب على ظَنِّي أني لم أدركها قلنا: لا تحتسب بهذه الرَّكعة وأتمَّ صلاتك ثم اسجد للسَّهو بعد السَّلام وإن قال: إني متردِّدٌ ولم يغلب على ظنِّي أني أدركتها قلنا: ابْنِ على اليقين، ولا تحتسبها، وأتمَّ صلاتك، واسجد للسَّهو قبل السَّلام. مسألة: لو بَنَى على اليقين، أو على غالب ظَنِّه، ثم تبيَّنَ أنه مصيب فيما فَعَلَ، فهل يلزمه السُّجود؟ مثاله: رجل شَكَّ هل صَلَّى ثلاثاً أم أربعاً بدون ترجيح؟ فجعلها ثلاثاً، وأتى بركعة رابعة، لكنَّه في أثناء هذه الرَّكعة تيقَّن أنها الرابعة. فللعلماء في هذا قولان: القول الأول: (٢) أنه لا يلزمه أن يسجد؛ لأنه تبيَّنَ عدم الزيادة والنقص، والسُّجود إنما يجب جَبْراً لما نَقَصَ، وهنا لم ينقص شيئاً ولم يزد شيئاً، والنبيُّ ﷺ قال: «فلم يَدْرِ كم صَلَّى ثلاثاً أم أربعاً» (٣) وهذا الرَّجُل يدري كم صَلَّى فلا سُجود عليه. القول الثاني: أن عليه السُّجود؛ لأن الرسول ﷺ قال: «فلم يدرِ كم صَلَّى» وهذا لأجل أن يبني على ما عنده، وظاهره أنه لو درى فيما بعد فإنه يسجد لقوله: «فإنْ كان صَلَّى خمساً شفعن له

(١) انظر: ص (٣٨٩). (٢) «الإنصاف» (٤/ ٦٩). (٣) تقدم تخريجه ص (٣٨٠).