What is meant by the principle of presumption of continuity? When is it applied? Is it obligatory for me to apply it, or am I given a choice?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : The listener, H.S.S. from al-Dhahran, in his third question, asks: What is meant by the principle of presumption of continuity? When is it applied? Is it obligatory for me to apply it, or am I given a choice?
The Shaykh : What is meant by the principle of presumption of continuity is building upon the original state.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : That is, the established original state must be maintained unless there is evidence to remove it. For example, if a person performs the ablution for prayer and then doubt arises as to whether he has broken it or not, he should not pay attention to this doubt, maintaining the original state, which is the ablution for prayer. And if a person breaks his ablution and then wants to pray, and he doubts whether he performed the ablution for prayer after breaking it or not, he must perform the ablution for prayer, maintaining the original state, which is the state of minor or major ritual impurity. This principle has a basis in the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when he was asked about a man who feels something during the prayer, so he said:Sahih Muslim 361 So this is maintaining the original state, which is the continuation of the ablution for prayer until its removal becomes clear. And this principle has many proofs, known to the one who reflects upon the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : What is meant by the principle of presumption of continuity is building upon the original state.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : That is, the established original state must be maintained unless there is evidence to remove it. For example, if a person performs the ablution for prayer and then doubt arises as to whether he has broken it or not, he should not pay attention to this doubt, maintaining the original state, which is the ablution for prayer. And if a person breaks his ablution and then wants to pray, and he doubts whether he performed the ablution for prayer after breaking it or not, he must perform the ablution for prayer, maintaining the original state, which is the state of minor or major ritual impurity. This principle has a basis in the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when he was asked about a man who feels something during the prayer, so he said:
He should not return (from prayer) unless he hears a sound or perceives a smell (of passing wind).
لا ينصرف حتى يسمع صوتا أو يجد ريحاThe questioner : May Allah bless you.