Sujoodus-Sahw — The Prostrations for Forgetfulness

 Prostrations of Forgetfulness chart

As mentioned in the previous post, there are some situations where a musalee (person praying) makes a mistake during his/her prayer. Depending on the mistake, he/she has to compenstate for it. If the mistake had to do with one of the waajibaat of the salah (see previous post), then they may compensate for this by making two prostrations at the end of their salah.

What is Sujoodus-Sahw? (The following is based on notes take from Dr. Saleh’s discussions on this topic)

Definition: Two prostrations made by a praying person to compensate for defects in his/her salah and as a compeling for shaytaan, and it is pleasing to Ar-Rahmaan, The Most Beneficient.

An important point to note is that mistakes in the salah that necessitate sujoodus-sahw are mistakes that involve 1. adding to the prayer, 2. omitting something from the prayer, and 3. having doubts about what was/wasn’t performed in the prayer. Additions are in regards to things that are part of the salah, for example making an extra raka’a, sujood, rukoo’ etc. Adding things that are not part of the salah is not considered (i.e. no sujuudus-sahw). For example a person accidently speaks or walks, although this is an addition, they are not things that are part of the salah. So sujoodus-sahw is only performed for additions that are from the same kinds of/in the salah.

Now the questions are: When do we make sujuudus-sahw? and is it done before or after the salam? and how is it done if such and such a mistake happens? Some of the admin from Dr. Saleh’s class compiled all the senarios in a chart form. May Allaah reward them greatly for their work. This chart can be found here: Prostrations of Forgetfulness chart. There are some terminology that a person must know in order to understand the chart. Please read my previous post on the conditions, pillars, and waajibaat (requirements) of the salah. I strongly recommend that you go through the audio discussion on this topic if you experience difficulties understanding the chart.

 TERMINOLOGY FROM THE CHART

“Before tasleem” – After the person completes the last tashahud, sends the salat and salam upon the prophet, and seeks refuge from the four things, then he/she says “Allaahu akbar” and prostrates, says “Allaahu akbar” again and sits, then “Allaahu akbar” again and makes the 2nd prostration, then “Allaahu akbar” again and sits then he/she makes the tasleem and completes the prayer. The tashahud is not recited again.

“After tasleem” - When a person completes their salah and they make tasleem, they say Allaahu akbar and make 2 prostrations, then they say the tasleem again. The tashahud is not recited again.

“Tasleem” – saying “assalaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullaah” at the end of the prayer by turning the head to the right then left

“Sunnah” – it is recommended to do, but not an obligation.

“Nothing upon him” – does not have to make the prostrations

“Tashahud” – sitting and reading at-tahiyaatu…

“Doubt (ash-shak) (without preponderance)” –  This is when what you think and what you’re not sure of are equal in weight, so you are not more inclined to one or the other. E.g. 50% you think you are on the 3rd raka, and 50% you think you are in the 4th raka’a

“Build on certainty” - If there is doubt and you are 50/50 about something, then building on certainty is building on the lesser number, because you are sure that you did one of them. For example you are in doubt whether you are on your third or fourth raka’a. In this case you can be sure that you did three raka’as (the one you are on now) since it is the lesser number. In this case, count this one as your 3rd and then make your fourth. This way you build on what you are certain of, which is that you did 3 raka’at.

“Preponderance (dhan)” - This is when you have some doubt but you are more inclined to one side. For example, you doubt whether you are in your 3rd raka’a or 4th, but you are more inclined to thinking that you are on the fourth. This is preponderance.

“Droping of sujuud as sahw” – it does not have to be done anymore, i.e. its obligation drops

“Ma’muum” –  The one being lead in salah / someone following an imam

“Imaam” - The person leading other(s) in the prayer

“Masbuuq” - A person who joins the prayer after the imam already began the prayer. i.e. He joined the prayer late.

The Salah has conditions, pillars, and waajibaat

The fard (obligatory) prayer has shuroot (conditions), arkaan (pillars), and wajibaat (requirements). It also has things that are sunnah (recommended), and things that are makrooh (disliked). Then there are things that are generally permissible to be done in the salah. I will briefly discuss the conditions, pillars, and waajibaat as these are the things that are necessary for the validation of the salah and for this reason a believer should not remain ignorant about them. If time permits I may briefly mention the other aspects of the salah. However my intention is to help others meet the basic requirements of their worship, so I would like to focus on what is priority.

Conditions: The conditions are prerequisites that have to be met before a person begins their salah. They have to be met in order for the salah to be valid. If a person does not fulfill anyone of these conditions for any reason, whether it be due to ignorance, forgetfulness, or intentionally does not do them, then their salah is invalid. Once a person realises that he/she missed a condition they should repeat that salah, even if a long period passes.

The conditions of Salah are 9. They are:

1.      Al-Islaam (Salah is only accepted from a Muslim)

2.     Al-‘aql (Sanity. The insane is not held accountable for his/her actions)

3.     Al-tamyeez (puberty)

4.     State of purity (having wudu or taking a ghusl to remove ritual impurity)

5.     Removal of filth (clothing should be free from impurities)

6.     Covering the awrah

 7.     Commencement of time (The salah must be prayed in its proper time and not a minute before)

8.    Facing the direction of the qiblah

9.     An-niyah (the intention for the prayer being prayed should be present)

Pillars:      The pillars of the salah are those things that are necessary for the validation of the salah. If any pillar is left out due to ignorance, forgetfulness, or deliberate omission the Salah becomes invalid. The prostration of forgetfulness* cannot compensate for the omission of a pillar. The pillar has to be done or the salah has to be repeated, even if a long time passes.

The arkaan (pillars) of Salah are 14. They are:

1.       Standing (An able person must stand while praying)

2.      Takbiratul Ihraam [ the opening takbeer (i.e. the first Allaahu akbar)]

 3.      The recitation of Al-faatihah

4.      The rukoo’ (the bowing position)

5.      Rising up from the rukoo

6.      Sajuud on the 7 bones (1. forehead & nose, 2&3. both palms, 4&5. both knees,  6&7. both feet – all must touch the floor during prostration)

7.      Coming up from the prostration position

8.     Sitting calmly between the two prostrations

9.      Being tranquil and calm during every pillar position

10.   The pillars should be done in order (e.g. rukoo before sujood etc.) 11.   The last tashahud (at-tahiyaat) [In fajr the last is also the first]

12.   Sitting during the last tashahud

13.   Sending the salaat and salaam upon the nabi salallaahu ‘alayhi wasalam (saying ‘Allaahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad ….) in the last tashahud

14.   The two tasleems (saying ‘assalaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullaah to the right and then to the left)

* Prostration of forgetfulness (sajuudu as-sahw) is the two prostrations made at the end of the prayer to compensate for mistakes done within the prayer. The mistake of leaving a pillar cannot be made up by simply making these two prostrations.

Waajibaat:    The waajibaat of the salah are those things that must be done within the salah and if they are left out due to ignorance or forgetfulness the salah is still valid. If they are left due to these reasons they can be compensated for with the prostration of forgetfulness. However, if they are deliberately omitted then the salah is invalid.

The waajibaat of the Salah are 8.  They are:

1.       All of the takbiraat except takbiratul ihram [All the sayings of Allaahu akbar except the first one (first one is a pillar)]

2.      Saying: Subhaana rabiyal ‘atheem (at least once) in rukoo/bowing position

3.      Saying: sami Allaahu liman hamidah

4.      Saying: rabbanaa wa lakal hamd

5.      Saying: Subhaana rabbiyal ‘ala (at least once) in sujood

6.      Saying:  rabighfirlee (at least once) while sitting between the two prostrations

7.      The first tashahud (at-tahiyaat) [in fajr the first is a pillar, in the others prayers they are wajibaat]

8.     Sitting down during the first tashahud

If a person remembers that they forgot one of these wajibaat while still praying, then they only have to make the two prostrations for forgetfulness. If they remember a long time after they already completed the prayer then inshallaah they are excused.

Summarising:

Conditions are prerequisites for the salah. A person is not excused from them regardless if he was ignorant of its obligation, or if he forgot, or if he deliberately left it.

Pillars are those things that a person is not excused from due to ignorance, forgetfulness or deliberate omission. The prostrations for forgetfulness cannot compensate for the omission of a pillar.

Wajibaat are those things that if a person omits them due to not knowing of its obligation or forgetting it, then the salah remains valid, and the prostration for forgetfulness can compensate for what was left out. Deliberate omission, however, invalidates the salah.

UPDATE: If a person remembers that they forgot one of the waajibaat before they move on to the next position, then they should return and fulfil what they left, and then they do not have to make sujuudus-sahw at the end. But if they move on to the next position and then remember, it is now FORBIDDEN to return. In this case the person moves on and makes sujuudus-sahw before tasleem.

Example: a person is about to stand after the second raka’a and while they are getting up they remember they forgot to make tashahud, they should sit back down and say the tashahud. If they stand up completely erect and then remember, they should not return. They make sujuudus-sahw at the end before the tasleem.

Merits of Salah (prayer)

إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاء وَالْمُنكَرِ

“Verily, As-Salât (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahshâ’ (i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.) and Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed, etc.)” [Al-ankaboot 29:45]

1. Prevents from Al-Fahshaa’ (great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.) and Al-Munkar (disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed, etc.).

2. The best of deeds after the Testimony of Faith (laa ilaaha illal-laah, Muhammad rasoulul-laah). [hadeeth ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’oud (radiyallaahu 'anhu) in Bukhari (v.9; 625) & Muslim].

3.Washes out sins. [hadeeth of Jaabir (radiyallaahu 'anhu) in Muslim (v1;1410)].

4. Expiates sins. [hadeeth of Abu Hurairah (radiyallaahu 'anhu) in Muslim (v1;450)].

5. A light for its adherent in this Life and in the Hereafter. [hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar (radiyallaahu 'anhuma) in Musnad Ahmad (v2;169) with good chain of narration].

6. Raises in rank and removes sins. [hadeeth of Thawbaan (radiyallaahu 'anhu) in Muslim (v.1; 989)].

7. One of the greatest causes to enter Paradise with the company of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). [hadeeth of Rabee’ah al-Aslami (radiyallaahu 'anhu) in Muslim (v1; 990)].

8. Between each performance of salaat and the next performance, sins are pardoned [hadeeth ‘Uthmaan (radiyallaahu 'anhu) in Muslim (v1;438)].

9. The angels will ask Allaah for Blessings and Forgiveness upon the adherent in his place of prayers. [hadeeth Abu Hurairah (radiyallaahu 'anhu) in Bukhari (v.3; 330) and in Muslim].

10. Waiting for the next prayer after observing a prayer is Ribaat (keeping oneself adhering and firm on acts of obedience).[hadeeth Abu Hurairah (radiyallaahu 'anhu) in Muslim (251)].

11. The one who goes to the Mosque to perform the prayer is in prayer until he returns. [hadeeth Abu Hurairah radiyallaahu 'anhu) in "saheeh" ibn Khuzaimah; authenticated by Al-Albani].

[reference: www.understanding-islam.net]