Author: Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri (Hafizahullah)
✔ The worshipper should complete the prayer, then perform two prostrations before saying the salam, and thereafter conclude the prayer with salam.
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Buhaynah al-Asadi رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم stood up during the Zuhr prayer, forgetting to sit for the middle tashahhud. When he completed the prayer:
[سجد سجدتين يكبّر في كلّ سجدة وهو جالس قبل أن يسلّم وسجدهما الناس معه مكان ما نسي من الجلوس]
“In place of the sitting that he had forgotten, he performed two prostrations while sitting before saying the salam, saying the takbir for each prostration. The people also performed the two prostrations with him.”
Sayyiduna Abu Saeed al-Khudri رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
“When one of you doubts during the prayer whether he has prayed three rak‘ahs or four, he should discard the doubt and act upon what is certain,
[ثمّ يسجد سجدتين قبل أن يسلّم]
Then he should perform two prostrations before saying the salam. If he has mistakenly prayed five rak‘ahs, the two prostrations will make his prayer even. If he prayed one rak‘ah to complete four, then the two prostrations will be a humiliation for Satan.”
Imam Makhul al-Shami, the Tabi‘i, and Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah al-Zuhri said:
[سجدتان قبل أن يسلّم]
“There are two prostrations before the salam.”
✔ He should perform two prostrations after saying the salam and then say the salam again.
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم led the prayer. Ibrahim, the narrator of the hadith, says that he did not know whether the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم had mistakenly prayed fewer or more rak‘ahs. When he said the salam, it was asked:
“O Messenger of Allah! Has a new ruling been revealed concerning the prayer?”
He said: “What is that?”
The people said: “You performed the prayer in such-and-such a manner.”
Thereupon, he folded his blessed legs, turned his noble face towards the qiblah,
[وسجد سجدتين، ثمّ سلّم]
“And performed two prostrations, then said the salam.”
When he turned towards us, he said:
“Had a new ruling concerning the prayer been revealed, I would have informed you. However, I am only a human being. Just as you forget, I also forget. When I forget, remind me. When one of you doubts during the prayer, he should carefully determine what is correct and complete his prayer accordingly,
[ثمّ يسلّم، ثمّ يسجد سجدتين]
Then he should say the salam and thereafter perform two prostrations.”
Sayyiduna Imran bin Husayn رضي الله عنه narrates that the Noble Messenger صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم led the Asr prayer. He said the salam after three rak‘ahs and then went to his house. A man named Khirbaq, who had long arms, stood up and said:
“O Prophet of Allah!”
He mentioned to him what he had done. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم returned angrily, dragging his cloak, and said:
“Is he speaking the truth?”
The people replied: “Yes.”
He then prayed one rak‘ah and said the salam,
[ثمّ سجد سجدتين، ثمّ سلّم]
“Then he performed two prostrations and thereafter said the salam.”
Sayyiduna Imran bin Husayn رضي الله عنه said regarding the prostrations of forgetfulness:
[يسلّم، ثمّ يسجد، ثمّ يسلّم]
“He should say the salam, then perform the prostrations, and then say the salam again.”
✔ He should complete the prayer, perform two prostrations after saying the salam, then recite the tashahhud and thereafter say the salam, as narrated from Sayyiduna Imran bin Husayn رضي الله عنه:
[إنّ النبيّ صلّى الله عليه وسلّم صلّى بهم، فسها، فسجد سجدتين، ثمّ تشهّد، ثمّ سلّم]
“The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم led them in prayer and forgot. After saying the salam, he performed two prostrations, then sat for the tashahhud, and thereafter said the salam.”
Imam al-Tirmidhi declared it “Hasan Gharib Sahih.”
Imam Ibn Khuzaymah ref[/ref] declared it “Sahih.”
Imam Ibn Hibban
Hafiz al-Dhahabi agreed with them.
These words were narrated by Ash‘ath bin Abdul Malik al-Harrani, a student of Muhammad bin Sirin.
He is “Thiqah”; therefore, this addition is preserved.
[لم أسمع في التشهّد وأحبّ إليّ أن يتشهّد]
“I have not heard anything concerning the tashahhud, but sitting for the tashahhud is more beloved to me.”
This does not necessitate the weakness of the narration. Rather, it falls under the category of:
[نَسِيَ بعد ما حدّث]
“He forgot after having narrated it.”
Imam Ibn al-Mundhir:
Imam al-Bayhaqi:
Imam Ibn Abdul Barr:
The view of these scholars that the words ثمّ تشهّد are not established is incorrect.
[According to the majority of Ahl al-Hadith scholars, the correct position is that the words ثمّ تشهّد are Shadh. Therefore, this third method is, in reality, the same as the second method mentioned above: two prostrations should be performed after the salam, and then the salam should be said again. en.tohed.com]
Abu Ubaydah did not hear from his father, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar said:
[والرّاجح أنّه لا يصحّ سماعه من أبيه]
“The stronger view is that Abu Ubaydah’s hearing from his father is not authentically established.”
He also said:
[فإنّه عند الأكثر لم يسمع من أبيه]
“According to the majority of the hadith scholars, Abu Ubaydah did not hear from his father.”
Imam Ibn al-Mundhir said:
[الخبر غير ثابت]
“This narration is not established.”
Imam al-Bayhaqi said:
[وهذا غير قويّ ومختلف في رفعه ومتنه]
“This is not strong, and there is disagreement regarding its being Marfu‘ and regarding its text.”
Narrator: Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman bin Abi Layla.
According to the majority, he is “weak” and “poor in memory.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir said:
[سيّئ الحفظ، لا يحتجّ به عند أكثرهم]
“He had a poor memory, and according to most of them, he is not relied upon as evidence.”
Hafiz al-Bayhaqi said:
[وهٰذا ينفرد به ابن أبي ليلى هٰذا، ولا حجّة فيما ينفرد به لسوء حفظه وكثرة خطئه في الروايات]
“Ibn Abi Layla alone narrates this, and there is no proof in what he narrates alone because of his poor memory and the abundance of his errors in narrations.”
Imam Ibn Sirin:
Imam al-Shafi‘i:
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal:
Imam Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i:
Hakam bin Utaybah.
Imam Hammad bin Abi Sulayman:
This article explains three authentic methods of performing the prostrations of forgetfulness when a mistake occurs during the prayer:
First method: After completing the prayer, two prostrations should be performed before saying the salam.
Second method: After completing the prayer and saying the salam, two prostrations should be performed, and then the salam should be said again.
Third method: Two prostrations should be performed, then the tashahhud should be recited, and thereafter the salam should be said again.
Each method has been explained through hadiths, the statements of the hadith scholars and their gradings, and the authenticity of the narrations has also been discussed.
Three Established Methods of Sujood al-Sahw (Prostrations for Forgetfulness in Prayer)
First Method:
✔ The worshipper should complete the prayer, then perform two prostrations before saying the salam, and thereafter conclude the prayer with salam.
Example:
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Buhaynah al-Asadi رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم stood up during the Zuhr prayer, forgetting to sit for the middle tashahhud. When he completed the prayer:
[سجد سجدتين يكبّر في كلّ سجدة وهو جالس قبل أن يسلّم وسجدهما الناس معه مكان ما نسي من الجلوس]
“In place of the sitting that he had forgotten, he performed two prostrations while sitting before saying the salam, saying the takbir for each prostration. The people also performed the two prostrations with him.”
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 1/164, Hadith: 1230; Sahih Muslim: 1/211, Hadith: 580
Second Narration:
Sayyiduna Abu Saeed al-Khudri رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
“When one of you doubts during the prayer whether he has prayed three rak‘ahs or four, he should discard the doubt and act upon what is certain,
[ثمّ يسجد سجدتين قبل أن يسلّم]
Then he should perform two prostrations before saying the salam. If he has mistakenly prayed five rak‘ahs, the two prostrations will make his prayer even. If he prayed one rak‘ah to complete four, then the two prostrations will be a humiliation for Satan.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 1/211, Hadith: 571
Imam Makhul al-Shami, the Tabi‘i, and Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah al-Zuhri said:
[سجدتان قبل أن يسلّم]
“There are two prostrations before the salam.”
Reference: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 2/30, and its chain is Hasan
Second Method:
✔ He should perform two prostrations after saying the salam and then say the salam again.
Example:
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم led the prayer. Ibrahim, the narrator of the hadith, says that he did not know whether the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم had mistakenly prayed fewer or more rak‘ahs. When he said the salam, it was asked:
“O Messenger of Allah! Has a new ruling been revealed concerning the prayer?”
He said: “What is that?”
The people said: “You performed the prayer in such-and-such a manner.”
Thereupon, he folded his blessed legs, turned his noble face towards the qiblah,
[وسجد سجدتين، ثمّ سلّم]
“And performed two prostrations, then said the salam.”
When he turned towards us, he said:
“Had a new ruling concerning the prayer been revealed, I would have informed you. However, I am only a human being. Just as you forget, I also forget. When I forget, remind me. When one of you doubts during the prayer, he should carefully determine what is correct and complete his prayer accordingly,
[ثمّ يسلّم، ثمّ يسجد سجدتين]
Then he should say the salam and thereafter perform two prostrations.”
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 1/58, Hadith: 601
Second Narration:
Sayyiduna Imran bin Husayn رضي الله عنه narrates that the Noble Messenger صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم led the Asr prayer. He said the salam after three rak‘ahs and then went to his house. A man named Khirbaq, who had long arms, stood up and said:
“O Prophet of Allah!”
He mentioned to him what he had done. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم returned angrily, dragging his cloak, and said:
“Is he speaking the truth?”
The people replied: “Yes.”
He then prayed one rak‘ah and said the salam,
[ثمّ سجد سجدتين، ثمّ سلّم]
“Then he performed two prostrations and thereafter said the salam.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 1/214, Hadith: 574
Further Clarification:
Sayyiduna Imran bin Husayn رضي الله عنه said regarding the prostrations of forgetfulness:
[يسلّم، ثمّ يسجد، ثمّ يسلّم]
“He should say the salam, then perform the prostrations, and then say the salam again.”
Reference: Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar by al-Tahawi: 1/442, and its chain is Hasan
Third Method:
✔ He should complete the prayer, perform two prostrations after saying the salam, then recite the tashahhud and thereafter say the salam, as narrated from Sayyiduna Imran bin Husayn رضي الله عنه:
[إنّ النبيّ صلّى الله عليه وسلّم صلّى بهم، فسها، فسجد سجدتين، ثمّ تشهّد، ثمّ سلّم]
“The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم led them in prayer and forgot. After saying the salam, he performed two prostrations, then sat for the tashahhud, and thereafter said the salam.”
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud: 1039; Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 395, and its chain is Sahih
Opinions of the Hadith Scholars:
Imam al-Tirmidhi declared it “Hasan Gharib Sahih.”
Imam Ibn Khuzaymah ref[/ref] declared it “Sahih.”
Imam Ibn Hibban
Reference: (2670, 2672)
and Imam al-Hakim ref[/ref] declared it “Sahih” according to the conditions of al-Bukhari and Muslim.Hafiz al-Dhahabi agreed with them.
The Addition: ثمّ تشهّد
These words were narrated by Ash‘ath bin Abdul Malik al-Harrani, a student of Muhammad bin Sirin.
He is “Thiqah”; therefore, this addition is preserved.
Statement of Ibn Sirin:
[لم أسمع في التشهّد وأحبّ إليّ أن يتشهّد]
“I have not heard anything concerning the tashahhud, but sitting for the tashahhud is more beloved to me.”
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud: 1010
This does not necessitate the weakness of the narration. Rather, it falls under the category of:
[نَسِيَ بعد ما حدّث]
“He forgot after having narrated it.”
Statements of the Imams:
Imam Ibn al-Mundhir:
Reference: Al-Awsat: 3/317
Imam al-Bayhaqi:
Reference: Al-Sunan al-Kubra: 2/355
Imam Ibn Abdul Barr:
Reference: Al-Tamhid: 10/209
The view of these scholars that the words ثمّ تشهّد are not established is incorrect.
Clarification: ؎
[According to the majority of Ahl al-Hadith scholars, the correct position is that the words ثمّ تشهّد are Shadh. Therefore, this third method is, in reality, the same as the second method mentioned above: two prostrations should be performed after the salam, and then the salam should be said again. en.tohed.com]
Benefit No. 1: The Hadith of Ibn Mas‘ud
Reference: Musnad al-Imam Ahmad: 1/428-429; Sunan Abi Dawud: 1028; al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Nasa’i: 605; al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi: 2/355-356
Defect: Mursal Narration
Abu Ubaydah did not hear from his father, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه.
Statements of the Hadith Scholars:
Hafiz Ibn Hajar said:
[والرّاجح أنّه لا يصحّ سماعه من أبيه]
“The stronger view is that Abu Ubaydah’s hearing from his father is not authentically established.”
Reference: Al-Taqrib: 8231
He also said:
[فإنّه عند الأكثر لم يسمع من أبيه]
“According to the majority of the hadith scholars, Abu Ubaydah did not hear from his father.”
Reference: Muwafaqat al-Khabar al-Khabar: 1/364
Imam Ibn al-Mundhir said:
[الخبر غير ثابت]
“This narration is not established.”
Reference: Al-Awsat: 3/317
Imam al-Bayhaqi said:
[وهذا غير قويّ ومختلف في رفعه ومتنه]
“This is not strong, and there is disagreement regarding its being Marfu‘ and regarding its text.”
Reference: Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi: 2/356
Benefit No. 2: The Hadith of Mughirah bin Shu‘bah
Reference: Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi: 2/355
Defect: Weak Chain of Narration
Narrator: Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman bin Abi Layla.
According to the majority, he is “weak” and “poor in memory.”
Statements of the Hadith Scholars:
Hafiz Ibn Kathir said:
[سيّئ الحفظ، لا يحتجّ به عند أكثرهم]
“He had a poor memory, and according to most of them, he is not relied upon as evidence.”
Reference: Tuhfat al-Talib: 345
Hafiz al-Bayhaqi said:
[وهٰذا ينفرد به ابن أبي ليلى هٰذا، ولا حجّة فيما ينفرد به لسوء حفظه وكثرة خطئه في الروايات]
“Ibn Abi Layla alone narrates this, and there is no proof in what he narrates alone because of his poor memory and the abundance of his errors in narrations.”
Reference: Ma‘rifat al-Sunan wa al-Athar: 3/282
Statements of the Jurists and Tabi‘in:
Imam Ibn Sirin:
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud: 1010, and its chain is Sahih
Imam al-Shafi‘i:
Reference: Al-Umm: 1/130
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal:
Reference: Masa’il Ahmad by Abi Dawud: 53
Imam Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i:
Reference: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 1/31, and its chain is Sahih
Hakam bin Utaybah.
Imam Hammad bin Abi Sulayman:
Reference: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah
Summary:
This article explains three authentic methods of performing the prostrations of forgetfulness when a mistake occurs during the prayer:
First method: After completing the prayer, two prostrations should be performed before saying the salam.
Second method: After completing the prayer and saying the salam, two prostrations should be performed, and then the salam should be said again.
Third method: Two prostrations should be performed, then the tashahhud should be recited, and thereafter the salam should be said again.
Each method has been explained through hadiths, the statements of the hadith scholars and their gradings, and the authenticity of the narrations has also been discussed.
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