Source Note
This excerpt is taken from the book Ṣaḥīḥ Namāz-e-Nabawī ﷺ, published by Maktabah Dār al-Andalus, authored by Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAzīz.
Discussion on Prostration (Sujūd)
❀ In this chapter, those occasions are mentioned where the Sharīʿah has instructed us to perform only prostration (sujūd) and not a complete prayer.❀ Since sujūd is not a prayer, it is not necessary to adhere to the rulings, conditions, and requirements that apply to prayer.
❀ Wuḍū’ is not required for sujūd, because the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إنما أمرت بالوضوء إذا قمت إلى الصلاة
“I have only been commanded to perform ablution when I stand for prayer.”
Reference: Abū Dāwūd: 3760
Reference: At-Tirmidhī: 1847
Reference: An-Nasā’ī: 132
(Ṣaḥīḥ)
Prostration of Recitation (Sujūd at-Tilāwah)
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:إذا قرأ ابن آدم السجدة فسجد اعتزل الشيطان يبكي يقول يا ويلي أمر ابن آدم بالسجود فسجد فله الجنة وأمرت بالسجود فأبيت فلي النار
“When the son of Ādam recites a verse of prostration and then prostrates, Shayṭān withdraws and weeps, saying: ‘Woe to me! The son of Ādam was commanded to prostrate and he prostrated, so for him is Paradise. I was commanded to prostrate, but I refused, so for me is the Fire.’”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 81
❀ If a verse of prostration is recited during prayer, one should perform sujūd.
❀ If the imām performs sujūd upon reciting a verse of prostration during prayer, then the followers must also prostrate.
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما said:
كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يقرأ علينا السورة فيها السجدة فيسجد ونسجد
“The Prophet ﷺ would recite a sūrah containing a verse of prostration, then he would prostrate and we would also prostrate.”
Reference: Al-Bukhārī: 1075
❀ In Sujūd at-Tilāwah, the following supplication should be recited:
اللَّهُمَّ اكْتُبْ لِي بِهَا عِنْدَكَ أَجْرًا وَضَعْ عَنِّي بِهَا وِزْرًا وَاجْعَلْهَا لِي عِنْدَكَ ذُخْرًا وَتَقَبَّلْهَا مِنِّي كَمَا تَقَبَّلْتَ مِنْ عَبْدِكَ دَاوُدَ
“O Allah! Write for me a reward with You because of this prostration, remove from me a burden of sins because of it, make it a treasure for me with You, and accept it from me just as You accepted it from Your servant Dāwūd.”
Reference: At-Tirmidhī: 579
Reference: Ibn Mājah: 1053
(Ṣaḥīḥ)❀ Another well-known supplication:
سَجَدَ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي خَلَقَهُ وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ بِحَوْلِهِ وَقُوَّتِهِ
This is a general supplication for sujūd. The narration that specifically mentions this supplication for Sujūd at-Tilāwah—such as in Abū Dāwūd (1414)—is weak, because it contains an unknown narrator (“رجل”).
❀ Sujūd at-Tilāwah is not obligatory; there is no sin in leaving it.
Zayd ibn Thābit رضي الله عنه said:
قرأت على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم والنجم فلم يسجد فيها
“I recited Sūrah an-Najm before the Prophet ﷺ, and he did not perform a prostration in it.”
Reference: Al-Bukhārī: 1073
Reference: Muslim: 577
Prostration at Times of Calamity (Sujūd al-Āyāt / Afāt)
❀ Whenever a calamity or extraordinary event occurs, one should immediately fall into prostration.ʿIkrimah رحمه الله narrated that when Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما was informed of the death of one of the wives of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he immediately went into prostration. When asked why he prostrated at that moment, he said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إذا رأيتم آية فاسجدوا و أى آية أعظم من ذهاب أزواج النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم
“When you see a calamity, immediately prostrate. And what calamity could be greater than the passing away of the wives of the Prophet ﷺ?”
Reference: Abū Dāwūd: 1197
Reference: At-Tirmidhī: 3891
(Ḥasan)
Prostration of Gratitude (Sujūd ash-Shukr)
❀ When a person receives a blessing or glad tidings, he should immediately fall into prostration.Abū Bakrah رضي الله عنه said regarding the Prophet ﷺ:
أنه كان إذا جاء أمر سرور أو بشر به خر ساجدا شاكرا لله
“When something pleasing happened to the Prophet ﷺ, or he received glad tidings, he would fall into prostration in gratitude to Allah.”
Reference: Abū Dāwūd: 2774
Reference: At-Tirmidhī: 1578
Reference: Ibn Mājah: 1392
(Ḥasan)
