✦ Extracted from: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ-e-Ḥadīth, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Vol. 1, pp. 239–240
Organized with clarity and structure.
The correct procedure is to:
➊ Complete the fourth rak‘ah,
➋ Then recite tashahhud, durūd, and duʿā,
➌ Perform sajdat al-sahw (prostration of forgetfulness),
➍ And finally end the prayer with salām.
(Reported in al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
◄ He should complete the fourth rak‘ah, recite tashahhud, durūd, duʿā, then perform sajdat al-sahw and end with salām.
◄ Qa‘dah ūlā is wājib, and if omitted unintentionally, it must be compensated with sajdat al-sahw.
◄ A follower should not prompt the imam during the third rak‘ah to sit.
◄ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim
Organized with clarity and structure.
❖ Question
If the imam forgets to sit after the second rak‘ah in a four-rak‘ah prayer, should he sit after the third rak‘ah, or should he complete the fourth rak‘ah, recite tashahhud, durūd, and duʿā, then perform sajdat al-sahw and complete the prayer? If a follower prompts him during the third rak‘ah and the imam still does not sit, is it correct for him to claim that sitting after the third rak‘ah is unnecessary?❖ Answer
If an imam forgets to sit after the second rak‘ah in a four-rak‘ah prayer, he should not sit after the third rak‘ah, as that is not the designated place for sitting.The correct procedure is to:
➊ Complete the fourth rak‘ah,
➋ Then recite tashahhud, durūd, and duʿā,
➌ Perform sajdat al-sahw (prostration of forgetfulness),
➍ And finally end the prayer with salām.
❖ Obligation of the First Sitting (Qa‘dah Ūlā)
The first sitting (qa‘dah ūlā)—which comes after the second rak‘ah in a four-rak‘ah prayer—is wājib (obligatory). If it is omitted due to forgetfulness, the error can be compensated through sajdat al-sahw.❖ Prophetic Practice
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ once forgot the first sitting in a ẓuhr prayer, continued to the third rak‘ah without sitting, and after completing the fourth rak‘ah, he performed sajdat al-sahw and then gave salām.(Reported in al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
❖ Prompting (Laqmah) by a Follower
A follower prompting the imam to sit during the third rak‘ah is unnecessary, as that is not the correct place for the qa‘dah. Thus, the imam's refusal to sit in the third rak‘ah is correct.❖ Summary
◄ If the imam forgets to sit after the second rak‘ah, he should not sit after the third rak‘ah.◄ He should complete the fourth rak‘ah, recite tashahhud, durūd, duʿā, then perform sajdat al-sahw and end with salām.
◄ Qa‘dah ūlā is wājib, and if omitted unintentionally, it must be compensated with sajdat al-sahw.
◄ A follower should not prompt the imam during the third rak‘ah to sit.
❖ Reference
◄ Muḥaddith Dehlvī, Vol. 8, Issue No. 3◄ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim
