Written by: Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai (رحمه الله)❖ Question:
Can Sajdah al-Tilawah (Prostration of Recitation) be performed during the times when voluntary prayers are prohibited, such as between Fajr and Ishraq, and between Asr and sunset?Is Sajdah al-Tilawah obligatory, compulsory, or what exactly is its status?
If one encounters a verse of prostration during these prohibited times and delays the prostration until later, is that acceptable?
❖ Answer:
It is better to avoid performing Sajdah al-Tilawah during sunrise, zenith, and sunset.Sajdah al-Tilawah is a Sunnah, not obligatory or compulsory, and the proof lies in the Hadith in which the Prophet ﷺ heard Surah An-Najm and did not prostrate.
(
Sahih al-Bukhari: 1072, Sahih Muslim: 577)For further details, refer to Monthly Shahadat (Vol. 6, Issue 5, May 1999) in the section “Questions and Answers in the Light of Qur'an and Sunnah” (pg. 29).
Delaying Sajdah al-Tilawah and performing it later is also permissible.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ
