What is the ruling on one who doubts the performance of one of the rites of Hajj, such as Sa'y, after a long period of time?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
His EminenceThe Shaykh : What is the ruling on one who performed Hajj with his companions while being ignorant of the rites of Hajj and 'Umrah, and after completing his Hajj and a period of time had passed, he learned the rites of Hajj and 'Umrah, and he doubts whether he performed Sa'y in his Hajj? Is the doubt strong?
The Shaykh : What we see is that if a person doubts whether he performed Tawaf, Sa'y, or stoning the pillars, after a long period of time, he should not pay attention to this doubt. This is because forgetfulness frequently befalls a person, and doubt is a matter that one is commanded to discard and keep away from the heart. If doubts arise for a person and multiply, he becomes unstable in his life and tired, and he is afflicted with waswas (whispers) in his purification and his prayer, and even in his household. So what I see is that a person should distract himself from this doubt.
Yes, if he is certain, then at that time he is given a ruling based on what the situation requires. But if it is merely a doubt: did he perform Sa'y or not? The original state is that he performed Sa'y, and that with all these companions, they would all perform Sa'y and he would perform it with them. So I see that he should distract himself from it and not let it come to mind, and the original state is safety. For this reason, the scholars stated a principle that we should understand, which is: "Doubt after the completion of an act of worship has no effect unless one is certain".
For example: if you said the closing salam of the prayer, and then after the salam you doubted: was it three or four rak'ahs? Do not pay attention to this doubt, except if you are certain that it was three, then at that time you do what is required of you in this matter.
His EminenceThe Shaykh : What is the ruling on one who performed Hajj with his companions while being ignorant of the rites of Hajj and 'Umrah, and after completing his Hajj and a period of time had passed, he learned the rites of Hajj and 'Umrah, and he doubts whether he performed Sa'y in his Hajj? Is the doubt strong?
The Shaykh : What we see is that if a person doubts whether he performed Tawaf, Sa'y, or stoning the pillars, after a long period of time, he should not pay attention to this doubt. This is because forgetfulness frequently befalls a person, and doubt is a matter that one is commanded to discard and keep away from the heart. If doubts arise for a person and multiply, he becomes unstable in his life and tired, and he is afflicted with waswas (whispers) in his purification and his prayer, and even in his household. So what I see is that a person should distract himself from this doubt.
Yes, if he is certain, then at that time he is given a ruling based on what the situation requires. But if it is merely a doubt: did he perform Sa'y or not? The original state is that he performed Sa'y, and that with all these companions, they would all perform Sa'y and he would perform it with them. So I see that he should distract himself from it and not let it come to mind, and the original state is safety. For this reason, the scholars stated a principle that we should understand, which is: "Doubt after the completion of an act of worship has no effect unless one is certain".
For example: if you said the closing salam of the prayer, and then after the salam you doubted: was it three or four rak'ahs? Do not pay attention to this doubt, except if you are certain that it was three, then at that time you do what is required of you in this matter.