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Fatwa CenterRuling on doubting after performing an act of worship
Question
As-Salamu 'Alaykum. My question is: I vowed to fast two or three days once a certain matter would happen. I remember that I indeed fasted after this matter happened. However, I do not remember how many days I actually fasted. Should I fast the three days again? Please advise. May Allah reward you.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
As long as you have already fulfilled your vow, (even if you) then doubted the days you fasted, you are not required to fast again or to fast additional days. Being doubtful about an act of worship after having performed it is not to be taken into account.
In Taqreer Al-Qawa‘id, Al-Hafith Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali 
said:
"The third section: Paying consideration to what is apparent, regardless of the original status. The forms of this section include: When one ends the prayer or any other act of worship and then doubts that he abandoned one of its pillars; doubt is ineffective in this case, even if, in reality, this pillar was not performed and one's liability is not cleared thereof. Moreover, the apparent status is that acts of worship are perfectly performed by those who are competent for religious assignments. So, the apparent status is held effective, regardless of the real status."
In Al-Manthoor Fi Al-Qawa‘id, Az-Zarkashi said:
"Second: Being doubtful after ending the act of worship. In Al-Mutarahat, Ibn Al-Qattan said, "Imam Ash-Shafi‘i differentiated between doubting during an act of worship and after it. He did not hold it obligatory to repeat the act of worship in the second case because of the hardship involved…"
Allaah Knows best.
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