What Should I Do after Repeating Surat al-Fatiha Verses Several Times?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi
Question
I’ve read a lot of fatwas about waswas in Surat al-Fatiha. I had to repeat a few verses of Surat al-Fatiha due to waswas (like I would repeat the verse after thinking I made a mistake).
Does it invalidate my Salah if I repeat verses five or more times? Is it necessary to redo my salah, or should I have performed Sujud al-Sahw?
I read that I should have done Sujud al-Sahw, so I did it after the time of that prayer had ended, and now I’m worried. Is my Salah valid?
The same goes for tashahhud.
Answer
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
I pray this finds you in the best of states.
Your prayers were valid, and you don’t need to perform the prostrations of forgetfulness. [Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idah]
Mistakes in Recitation Are Excused
Scholars have mentioned that no mistakes invalidate the prayer because many people are unlearned and would often make pronunciation mistakes.
Please take a look at this: Do Mistakes in Recitation Invalidate the Prayer?
Reasons for Performing the Prostration of Forgetfulness
You will only need to perform Sajdat al-Sahw if you leave out a necessary action in the prayer. [Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idah]
This is different from your case.
Please see: What Is the Ruling of the Prostration of Forgetfulness?
Allah, Most High, says: “Allah does not like to impose a difficulty on you.” [Quran, 5:6]
And Allah knows best.
Wassalam
[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadh Sufyan Qufi is an advanced seeker of knowledge, originally from Algeria, who grew up in France. He began searching far and wide for answers to the fundamental questions of life and was disappointed at the answers he found. Then he connected with various traditional teachers and gradually connected with SeekersGuidance. He embarked on his journey of learning through the various teachers at SeekersGuidance, including his mentor Shaykh Faraz Rabbani. He studied numerous texts in Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith, and other areas with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and other teachers, including Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Sha‘ar, Shaykh Ali Hani, and others. He is an active instructor at SeekersGuidance and answers questions through the SeekersGuidance Answers Service.
