Prohibition of Reciting Qur’an in Sujood
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Be aware, I have been forbidden from reciting the Qur’an in bowing (ruku‘) and prostration (sujood). So, in ruku‘, glorify your Lord, and in sujood, make much du‘a, for it is more likely that your du‘a will be accepted."
(Muslim: 479)
10 Sunnah Du‘as in Sujood
① Sayyiduna Hudhayfah رضي الله عنه
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى
"My Lord, the Most High, is free from all imperfections."
(Muslim: 772, Ibn Majah: 888 — three times)
② Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه
اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ كُلَّهُ دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ وَأَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ وَعَلَانِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ
"O Allah! Forgive all of my sins, the small and the great, the first and the last, the open and the hidden."
(Muslim: 483)
③ Umm al-Mu’minin ‘Aishah رضي الله عنها
سُبْحَانَكَ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
"Glory and praise be to You; there is no true god but You."
(Muslim: 484)
④ Another Du‘a
اَللّٰهُمَّ أَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ، وَبِمُعَافَاتِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ... (full wording as in original)
(Muslim: 486)
⑤ Sayyiduna ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه
اَللّٰهُمَّ لَكَ سَجَدْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ... (full wording as in original)
(Muslim: 771)
Du‘a for Sujood al-Tilawah
Umm al-Mu’minin ‘Aishah رضي الله عنها narrated:
سَجَدَ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِيْ خَلَقَهُ وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ بِحَوْلِهِ وَقُوَّتِهِ، فَتَبَارَكَ اللّٰهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ
(Abu Dawood: 1414, Tirmidhi: 580 — authenticated by Al-Hakim & Al-Dhahabi)
Virtue of Sujood al-Tilawah
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"When the son of Adam recites a verse of prostration and then prostrates, Shaytan withdraws crying: ‘Woe to me! The son of Adam was commanded to prostrate, and he prostrated, so Paradise is his; I was commanded to prostrate and I refused, so Hell is mine.’"
(Muslim: 81)
Rulings of Sujood al-Tilawah
➤ Sunnah Act
Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه prayed ‘Isha and recited Idha al-Sama’ Inshaqqat, then prostrated, saying:
"I prostrated behind Abu al-Qasim ﷺ and will never abandon it."
(Bukhari: 1077, Muslim: 578)
Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما:
"When the Prophet ﷺ recited a verse of prostration, he would prostrate, and so would the Companions."
(Bukhari: 1075, Muslim: 575)
➤ Not Wajib (Obligatory)
Sayyiduna Zayd ibn Thabit رضي الله عنه said:
"I recited Surah al-Najm before the Prophet ﷺ, and he did not prostrate."
(Bukhari: 1073, Muslim: 577)
Sayyiduna ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه read the verse of prostration in Surah al-Nahl on the minbar, then one Friday prostrated, and on another Friday he did not, saying:
"Whoever prostrates has done well, and whoever does not, there is no sin upon him."
(Bukhari: 1077)
Takbir in Sujood al-Tilawah
Sayyiduna Ibn Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه said:
"The Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr, and ‘Umar would say ‘Allahu Akbar’ when standing, bowing, prostrating, and rising."
(Tirmidhi: 253)
Shaykh Ibn Baz رحمه الله:
"Sujood al-Tilawah is like the prostration in Salah. One should say ‘Allahu Akbar’ when going into it and when rising from it."
(Nasa’i: 1120, Fatawa Islamiyyah 1/430)
