If the imam doubts in a four-rak'ah prayer whether he prayed three or four, he builds upon the stronger position in his view, which is three, and says to himself: If the people behind me recite the tasbih, I will sit.
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The questioner : He says: If the imam doubts in a four-rak'ah prayer whether he prayed three or four, he builds upon the stronger position in his view, which is three, and says to himself: If the people behind me recite the tasbih, I will sit. The congregation agreed with him and did not recite the tasbih. Does this necessitate the prostration for forgetfulness? And where is the place for the prostration for forgetfulness?
The Shaykh : It is the norm that if the imam makes a mistake, the ma'mums will alert him, especially if there are many of them. However, if there is only one ma'mum with him, that single ma'mum might make a mistake just as the imam did. Accordingly, if a person stands up for the third rak'ah while he thinks it is the fourth, and the ma'mums do not recite the tasbih, his prayer is valid, and he is not required to perform the prostration for forgetfulness, because the silence of the ma'mums indicates that he is correct.
The questioner : And the doubt here, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : And the doubt does not necessitate the prostration, because the lack of alerting indicates that he is correct. But if he remains doubtful and hesitant, even regarding their failure to alert him, then he must perform the prostration for forgetfulness, and the prostration for forgetfulness is after the taslim, because the silence of the ma'mum makes it more likely in his mind that he is correct. Yes.
The Shaykh : It is the norm that if the imam makes a mistake, the ma'mums will alert him, especially if there are many of them. However, if there is only one ma'mum with him, that single ma'mum might make a mistake just as the imam did. Accordingly, if a person stands up for the third rak'ah while he thinks it is the fourth, and the ma'mums do not recite the tasbih, his prayer is valid, and he is not required to perform the prostration for forgetfulness, because the silence of the ma'mums indicates that he is correct.
The questioner : And the doubt here, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : And the doubt does not necessitate the prostration, because the lack of alerting indicates that he is correct. But if he remains doubtful and hesitant, even regarding their failure to alert him, then he must perform the prostration for forgetfulness, and the prostration for forgetfulness is after the taslim, because the silence of the ma'mum makes it more likely in his mind that he is correct. Yes.