Question:
Sajdah al-Tilawah is Sunnah:
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him):
This Hadith indicates that performing Sajdah al-Tilawah is a Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Narrated by Sayyiduna Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him):
This Hadith shows that performing Sajdah al-Tilawah is not obligatory.
Narrated by Khalifa Rashid Amir al-Mu'minin Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him):
This demonstrates that Sajdah al-Tilawah is not wajib but rather Sunnah and recommended. This is also the view of Imam Shafi'i and Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on them) [Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 576].
No Proof of Collective Sajdah:
There is no evidence in our knowledge supporting the practice of performing these Sajdahs collectively after the complete recitation of the Quran.
Practice of Two Sajdahs in Surah Al-Hajj:
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both):
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him):
Note: Khalid bin Ma’dan is free from the accusation of tadlis (deception) [Al-Fath al-Mubin fi Tahqiq Tabaqat al-Mudallisin 2/26], and Abdul Rahman bin Jubair bin Nufayr has supported this [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 11/2, Hadith 4289 and Al-Bayhaqi 2/318].
Narrated by Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Abu al-Aaliyah (Tabi'i) said:
Narrated by Zurr bin Hubaish (Tabi'i, Qari) and Abu Abdul Rahman (Qari):
Abu Ishaq al-Sabi'i said:
Apart from these mentioned narrations, there are other reports as well.
Narrated by Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him):
Ibn Lahia narrated this before his condition worsened and specified the hearing, Musarah bin Ha'aan is a reliable narrator. See the book "Noor al-Aynain fi Ithbat Raf' al-Yadayn" [pp. 171-172].
This Hadith prohibits those who deny the Sunnah of the second Sajdah in Surah Al-Hajj from reciting these verses. However, those who do not consider Sajdah al-Tilawah wajib but sunnah are not addressed by this Hadith because they acknowledge the two Sajdahs in Surah Al-Hajj as Sunnah.
Based on this analysis, the phrase "السجدة عند الشافعي" on the margin of the Quran was written by someone denying this Sajdah. If it is necessary to write, then it should be written as "السجدة عند رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وعنده عمر وعند عبدالله بن عمر وعند أبى الدرداء وغيرهم من الصحابة رضي الله عنهم أجمعين".
It is widely known that those who accepted and practiced this second Sajdah in Surah Al-Hajj existed long before Imam Shafi'i's birth. It should be noted that if Sajdah al-Tilawah is not performed, it is still permissible based on the previous evidence. Therefore, if someone did not perform this second Sajdah in Surah Al-Hajj, it does not mean they denied its permissibility or its status as Sunnah.
- There are certain verses in the Quran upon the recitation of which Sajdah is performed. Is this Sajdah al-Tilawah wajib (obligatory) or sunnah (recommended)?
- If these Sajdahs are performed collectively in sequence after the complete recitation of the Quran, is this permissible?
- At the end of Surah Al-Hajj, it is written that "السجدة عند الشافعي" meaning according to Imam Shafi'i, there is a Sajdah al-Tilawah here. What does this mean? Why is there a distinction of Shafi'i and non-Shafi'i in the Quran?
Sajdah al-Tilawah is Sunnah:
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him):
"The Prophet (peace be upon him) recited Surah An-Najm and performed Sajdah."[Sahih Bukhari: 1071]
This Hadith indicates that performing Sajdah al-Tilawah is a Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Narrated by Sayyiduna Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him):
"I recited Surah An-Najm to the Prophet (peace be upon him), but he did not perform Sajdah."[Sahih Bukhari: 1073 and Sahih Muslim: 577]
This Hadith shows that performing Sajdah al-Tilawah is not obligatory.
Narrated by Khalifa Rashid Amir al-Mu'minin Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him):
"Whoever performs the Sajdah has done the right thing, and whoever does not perform it, there is no sin upon him."[Sahih Bukhari: 1077]
This demonstrates that Sajdah al-Tilawah is not wajib but rather Sunnah and recommended. This is also the view of Imam Shafi'i and Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on them) [Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 576].
No Proof of Collective Sajdah:
There is no evidence in our knowledge supporting the practice of performing these Sajdahs collectively after the complete recitation of the Quran.
Practice of Two Sajdahs in Surah Al-Hajj:
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both):
"In Surah Al-Hajj, he performed two Sajdahs."[Muwatta Imam Malik, vol 1, p. 206, Hadith 483, and its chain is authentic]
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him):
"He performed two Sajdahs in Surah Al-Hajj."[As-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi, 2/318, and its chain is authentic]
Note: Khalid bin Ma’dan is free from the accusation of tadlis (deception) [Al-Fath al-Mubin fi Tahqiq Tabaqat al-Mudallisin 2/26], and Abdul Rahman bin Jubair bin Nufayr has supported this [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 11/2, Hadith 4289 and Al-Bayhaqi 2/318].
Narrated by Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
"He led the morning prayer and performed two Sajdahs in Surah Al-Hajj."[Al-Bayhaqi 2/317, and its chain is authentic; Ibn Abi Shaybah 11/2, Hadith 4288]
Abu al-Aaliyah (Tabi'i) said:
"There are two Sajdahs in Surah Al-Hajj."[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 12/2, Hadith 4294, and its chain is authentic]
Narrated by Zurr bin Hubaish (Tabi'i, Qari) and Abu Abdul Rahman (Qari):
"Both performed two Sajdahs in Surah Al-Hajj."[Ibn Abi Shaybah 12/2, Hadith 4296, and its chain is Hasan]
Abu Ishaq al-Sabi'i said:
"For seventy years, I have seen people performing two Sajdahs in Surah Al-Hajj."[Ibn Abi Shaybah 12/2, Hadith 4295, and its chain is authentic]
Apart from these mentioned narrations, there are other reports as well.
Narrated by Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him):
"I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): 'Is there two Sajdahs in Surah Al-Hajj?' He replied: 'Yes, and whoever does not perform them should not recite them.'"[Sunan Abi Dawood: 1402, and its chain is Hasan]
Ibn Lahia narrated this before his condition worsened and specified the hearing, Musarah bin Ha'aan is a reliable narrator. See the book "Noor al-Aynain fi Ithbat Raf' al-Yadayn" [pp. 171-172].
This Hadith prohibits those who deny the Sunnah of the second Sajdah in Surah Al-Hajj from reciting these verses. However, those who do not consider Sajdah al-Tilawah wajib but sunnah are not addressed by this Hadith because they acknowledge the two Sajdahs in Surah Al-Hajj as Sunnah.
Based on this analysis, the phrase "السجدة عند الشافعي" on the margin of the Quran was written by someone denying this Sajdah. If it is necessary to write, then it should be written as "السجدة عند رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وعنده عمر وعند عبدالله بن عمر وعند أبى الدرداء وغيرهم من الصحابة رضي الله عنهم أجمعين".
It is widely known that those who accepted and practiced this second Sajdah in Surah Al-Hajj existed long before Imam Shafi'i's birth. It should be noted that if Sajdah al-Tilawah is not performed, it is still permissible based on the previous evidence. Therefore, if someone did not perform this second Sajdah in Surah Al-Hajj, it does not mean they denied its permissibility or its status as Sunnah.
