Forgetting how many rakahs

[u/the_ring_has_awoken]

I have had this issue for years. At least 5 years, could be more. I pray 2 rakahs fine most of the time. But in four rakahs, when I get to the last one (or what I think is the last one) I think 'wait, is this the third or fourth?'.

I thought it might be my focus but when I try to focus in prayer, it's harder to remember which rakah I am on.

I feel like there is a big sin that I am committing that is causing this but I don't know what. I pray 5 times a day, I'm memorising quran, I am good to my parents. I don't do anything haram that is consistent.

It's really depressing me.

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[u/Beneficial-Bill-4752]

Bismillah,

First of all make tawbah frequently, you might be doing something you don’t know you’re doing.

Second, this could be related to habits you don’t believe are sinful, but decrease your attention span like doomscrolling. Uninstalling TikTok and staying off YouTube shorts was one of the best decisions I ever made in regards to my focus, in and out of salah.

Third, try a technique I like to call “gaslighting the shaytan”. Every time you get distracted in salah, pray 2 extra rakah afterwards (stay away from makruh times, so if you forget during asr, pray the 2 rakah afterwards maghrib). If you do this, you have to commit to it. It might get worse in the beginning as the shaytan tries to break your resolve, but you have to stick with it until it gets easier. The shaytan does not want you praying voluntary salah because it’s an act that’s very beloved to Allah, and you’re hurting him every time you pray. I’ve done this method and it worked wonders for me, every time I failed to lower my gaze, lost focus in salah, or something I could blame shaytan for, I did 2 rakah. After a few weeks I had laser focus while praying, my eyes felt like they were getting pulled away from haram on their own, etc. It almost felt like shaytan was helping me avert my gaze or going “yo you’re praying” if I started to think of something else in salah just so he didn’t have to see me pray more lol, it was fantastic. Again though, you really need to commit to it, especially in the beginning. Ask Allah for help and stick to it, and if you can’t pray the 2 rakah, write down how many you owe in your notes and pray it with tahajjud. Do not let them build up so you have a backlog of prayers to do.