This article is derived from the book "Salah Mustafa ﷺ" authored by the esteemed Abu Hamza Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi.
In Salah, if there is any addition or omission due to forgetfulness or doubt, then to compensate for that mistake, two prostrations are performed at the end of the prayer. This act is known as Sujud al-Sahw.
Sujud al-Sahw is obligatory, whether a person is praying alone or in congregation, and whether the prayer is obligatory or voluntary.
Without performing Sujud al-Sahw for a mistake, the prayer remains incomplete.
The proof for this is the saying of the Prophet ﷺ:
فإذا نسي أحدكم فليسجد سجدتين
(Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 572/92)
"If any one of you forgets in his prayer, let him perform two prostrations."
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated:
"Then the Prophet ﷺ said Allahu Akbar, performed a prostration like the usual prostrations or even longer, then raised his head saying Allahu Akbar, and again went into prostration saying Allahu Akbar, similar to or longer than the normal prostrations, and then raised his head saying Allahu Akbar."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Forgetfulness, Hadith no. 1229 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Prayer, Hadith no. 573)
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Forgetfulness, Hadith no. 1224 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 1269)
✔ ② After completing the Salam on both sides, perform two prostrations, and then offer Salam again.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Forgetfulness, Hadith no. 1224 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 1269)
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated:
"Once the Prophet ﷺ ended the prayer after two Rak'ahs. Dhul-Yadain asked: 'O Messenger of Allah! Has the prayer been shortened, or did you forget?' The Prophet ﷺ asked: 'Is what Dhul-Yadain says true?' The companions replied: 'Yes!' So the Prophet ﷺ stood up, completed the remaining two Rak'ahs, performed Salam, and then performed two prostrations similar to or longer than the usual ones."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Forgetfulness, Hadith no. 1228 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 573/99)
"The Prophet ﷺ led us in the Zuhr prayer and stood up after two Rak'ahs without sitting. The people also stood up with him. When the prayer was about to end and the people waited for the Salam, the Prophet ﷺ, while sitting, said Allahu Akbar, performed two prostrations before Salam, and then completed the prayer with Salam."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Adhan, Hadith nos. 829, 830, 1224, 1225, 1230 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 570)
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"If one of you has doubts about his prayer — whether he prayed three or four Rak'ahs — let him discard doubt and base it on what he is certain of. Then he should perform two prostrations before the Salam. If he had prayed five Rak'ahs, these two prostrations will make his prayer even, and if he had completed four, they will serve as a humiliation for Satan."
(Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 571)
If after reflection he becomes certain about the number of Rak'ahs he has prayed, he should complete the prayer based on that certainty and perform Sujud al-Sahw at the end.
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud رضي الله عنه narrated:
إذا شك احدكم فى صلاته فليتحر الصواب فليتم عليه ، ثم يسلم ثم يسجد سجدتين
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Prayer, Hadith no. 401 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 572)
"Once the Prophet ﷺ prayed five Rak'ahs in Zuhr prayer. He was asked: 'Has the prayer been increased?' The Prophet ﷺ said: 'What happened?' They said: 'You prayed five Rak'ahs.' So the Prophet ﷺ turned (to the Qiblah) and performed two prostrations after Salam."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Forgetfulness, Hadith no. 1226 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 572)
✿ Explanation of Sujud al-Sahw
The word Sahw means "forgetting" or "omitting something unintentionally."In Salah, if there is any addition or omission due to forgetfulness or doubt, then to compensate for that mistake, two prostrations are performed at the end of the prayer. This act is known as Sujud al-Sahw.
Sujud al-Sahw is obligatory, whether a person is praying alone or in congregation, and whether the prayer is obligatory or voluntary.
Without performing Sujud al-Sahw for a mistake, the prayer remains incomplete.
The proof for this is the saying of the Prophet ﷺ:
فإذا نسي أحدكم فليسجد سجدتين
(Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 572/92)
"If any one of you forgets in his prayer, let him perform two prostrations."
✿ Method of Performing Sujud al-Sahw
Sujud al-Sahw is performed just like the normal prostrations of prayer.Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated:
"Then the Prophet ﷺ said Allahu Akbar, performed a prostration like the usual prostrations or even longer, then raised his head saying Allahu Akbar, and again went into prostration saying Allahu Akbar, similar to or longer than the normal prostrations, and then raised his head saying Allahu Akbar."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Forgetfulness, Hadith no. 1229 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Prayer, Hadith no. 573)
✿ When to Perform Sujud al-Sahw — Two Sunnah Methods
✔ ① After completing the final Tashahhud and supplications, perform two prostrations, and then end with Salam.(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Forgetfulness, Hadith no. 1224 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 1269)
✔ ② After completing the Salam on both sides, perform two prostrations, and then offer Salam again.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Forgetfulness, Hadith no. 1224 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 1269)
✿ Sujud al-Sahw in Case of Performing Fewer Rak'ahs
If a person forgets and performs fewer Rak'ahs, after completing the missed Rak'ah(s), he must perform Sujud al-Sahw.Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated:
"Once the Prophet ﷺ ended the prayer after two Rak'ahs. Dhul-Yadain asked: 'O Messenger of Allah! Has the prayer been shortened, or did you forget?' The Prophet ﷺ asked: 'Is what Dhul-Yadain says true?' The companions replied: 'Yes!' So the Prophet ﷺ stood up, completed the remaining two Rak'ahs, performed Salam, and then performed two prostrations similar to or longer than the usual ones."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Forgetfulness, Hadith no. 1228 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 573/99)
✿ Sujud al-Sahw for Missing the First Tashahhud
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Buhaina رضي الله عنه narrated:"The Prophet ﷺ led us in the Zuhr prayer and stood up after two Rak'ahs without sitting. The people also stood up with him. When the prayer was about to end and the people waited for the Salam, the Prophet ﷺ, while sitting, said Allahu Akbar, performed two prostrations before Salam, and then completed the prayer with Salam."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Adhan, Hadith nos. 829, 830, 1224, 1225, 1230 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 570)
✿ Sujud al-Sahw in Case of Doubt
Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri رضي الله عنه reported:The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"If one of you has doubts about his prayer — whether he prayed three or four Rak'ahs — let him discard doubt and base it on what he is certain of. Then he should perform two prostrations before the Salam. If he had prayed five Rak'ahs, these two prostrations will make his prayer even, and if he had completed four, they will serve as a humiliation for Satan."
(Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 571)
If after reflection he becomes certain about the number of Rak'ahs he has prayed, he should complete the prayer based on that certainty and perform Sujud al-Sahw at the end.
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud رضي الله عنه narrated:
إذا شك احدكم فى صلاته فليتحر الصواب فليتم عليه ، ثم يسلم ثم يسجد سجدتين
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Prayer, Hadith no. 401 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 572)
✿ Sujud al-Sahw for Performing Extra Rak'ahs
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud رضي الله عنه reported:"Once the Prophet ﷺ prayed five Rak'ahs in Zuhr prayer. He was asked: 'Has the prayer been increased?' The Prophet ﷺ said: 'What happened?' They said: 'You prayed five Rak'ahs.' So the Prophet ﷺ turned (to the Qiblah) and performed two prostrations after Salam."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Forgetfulness, Hadith no. 1226 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques, Hadith no. 572)
