❖ Shar‘i Ruling on Prostrating (Sujood) Outside Salah for the Purpose of Duʿāʾ ❖
Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil fī Ḍawʾ al-Qurʾān wal-Ḥadīth, Vol. 1
✿ Question:
Is it permissible for a person, when not in the state of Salah, to fall into prostration due to a great need and start supplicating to Allah in that state? Can one make duʿāʾ to Allah by prostrating outside the prayer?
✿ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd:
Yes, it is permissible to prostrate (make sujood) outside of prayer in order to supplicate.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
أقرب ما يكون العبد من ربه وهو ساجد فأكثروا من الدعاء
“The closest a servant is to his Lord is while he is in prostration, so increase your supplications therein.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
✿ Explanation:
This ḥadīth makes it clear that prostration is a state of closeness to Allah, and thus, one may make duʿāʾ in sujood even outside Salah. In such sujood, a person can supplicate for both worldly and Hereafter needs.
However, it is best and more virtuous to perform this prostration while in a state of wuḍūʾ.
Conclusion:Prostrating outside of Salah for the sake of duʿāʾ is permissible, and it is recommended to do so with purity (wuḍūʾ).
