A question about whether a person who frequently doubts their actions in prayer should be concerned about their doubts and if their prayer is invalidated by repeating actions based on those doubts.
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1 Answer
Peace be upon you.
Ayatollah Khamenei (may Allah protect him):
If a person who frequently doubts their actions in prayer (such as the number of units or specific actions) should assume that what they doubt has occurred. For example, if they doubt whether they have bowed or not (and they are known to frequently doubt this), they should assume they have bowed. Similarly, if they doubt whether they performed the second unit or not, they should assume they have done so. It is not permissible for someone who frequently doubts to give importance to their doubts; if they act based on their doubt intentionally, their prayer is invalidated. However, if the doubt arises from forgetfulness and the action in question is a fundamental part of the prayer, the prayer is invalidated; otherwise, it is not.
Source: Fiqh of the Guardian: Rulings on Excessive Doubt + Answers to Inquiries, S520 + Jurisprudential Rulings Made Easy, Invalidations of Prayer, p. 131.
Ayatollah Sistani (may Allah protect him):
A person who frequently doubts should not give importance to their doubts. If they doubt whether they have bowed or not, it is not permissible for them to bow; otherwise, their prayer is invalidated as a precaution. However, in the case of doubt regarding recitation or remembrance, if they give importance to their doubt and perform the action in question with the intention of drawing closer to Allah, it does not harm the validity of their prayer.
If they perform an action out of forgetfulness, if it is a fundamental part like bowing, their prayer is invalidated as a precaution; otherwise, it is not.
Source: Minhaj al-Salihin, Vol. 1, Issue 854 + Issue 837.
May you be successful in all good.