Doubt regarding the number of rak’aat

Question: What should one do if they have doubt with reagrd to the number of rak’aat performed?

Answer: 

Doubt regarding the Number of Raka’ts.

During the course of performing Salaat the Musalli doubts the number of raka’ts he has performed, i.e. whether he has performed three or four, etc., raka’ts.

(a)  If the Musalli is not in the habit of doubting the number of raka’ts, i.e. such doubts are not common to him. Then he should repeat the Salaat afresh.

(b)  If such doubts are common to the Musalli, then in this case he must ponder into the number of raka’ts he has performed, and accept the verdict given by his mind. If he is able to conclude that he had performed two, three or four raka’ts, he should accept this conclusion. No Sujoodus-Sahw is necessary in this case.

(c)  If the Musalli is unable to arrive at any decision, then in such a case he should opt for the lesser number .- i.e. if the doubt is between two and three raka’ts, he shall consider that he has performed only two raka’ts, if the doubt is between three and four, three shall be considered as the number already performed; if the doubt is between one and two raka’ts, one raka’t shall be considered. And, in all these instances the Musalli shall sit in Qa’dah and recite Tashah-hud in each raka’t and perform Sujoodus Sahw in the final raka’t of the Salaat.