Should Sajdah al-Sahw Be Performed Before or After Salām?
Source: Fatāwā Amunpūrī by Shaykh Ghulām Mustafa Zaheer Amunpūrī
Should Sajdah al-Sahw (the prostration for forgetfulness) be done before or after salām in prayer?
Two valid methods of performing Sajdah al-Sahw have been authentically reported from the Sunnah.
The worshipper should complete the prayer, and before saying salām, he should perform two prostrations, then conclude the prayer with salām.
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh bin Buhayna al-Asadī رضي الله عنه narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ stood up during Ẓuhr prayer without sitting for the middle tashahhud. After completing the prayer, he made two prostrations before salām, while sitting, and the people also prostrated with him.
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1230, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 580)
Sayyidunā Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“If one of you is uncertain whether he has prayed three or four rakʿāt, he should ignore the doubt and act upon what is certain. Then he should perform two prostrations before salām. If he had actually prayed five, the two prostrations will correct his prayer. And if he had completed four, the prostrations will be a humiliation for Shayṭān.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 571)
The worshipper completes the prayer, says salām, and then performs two prostrations, followed by another salām.
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh bin Masʿūd رضي الله عنه narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ once led a prayer. Ibrāhīm (the narrator) says: I do not know whether he reduced or increased something. After salām, the people mentioned it. The Prophet ﷺ turned his feet toward the qiblah, performed two prostrations, then said salām again. He then turned to the people and said: “If there had been any change in the prayer, I would have informed you. I am only a human like you. I forget as you forget. So, if I forget, remind me. If one of you is uncertain in prayer, let him try to get it right and complete it, then perform two prostrations after salām.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 601)
Sayyidunā ʿImrān bin Ḥuṣayn رضي الله عنه narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ led ʿAṣr prayer and concluded it after three rakʿāt. He returned home, and a man with long arms (Dhul-Yadayn) stood up and informed him. The Prophet ﷺ came out, prayed one rakʿah, said salām, then performed two prostrations, then said salām again.
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 574)
“He should say salām, then perform two prostrations, then say salām again.”
(Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār by al-Ṭaḥāwī: 1/442 – Chain is ḥasan)
There is one narration that mentions sitting for tashahhud again after the two prostrations, then offering a second salām.
Sayyidunā ʿImrān bin Ḥuṣayn رضي الله عنه narrated:
“The Prophet ﷺ forgot in the prayer, and after salām, he performed two prostrations, then sat for tashahhud, then said salām again.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1039; Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 395 – Chain is ṣaḥīḥ)
However, this additional tashahhud was reported only by Ashʿath bin ʿAbd al-Malik, a student of Ibn Sīrīn. Though he is trustworthy, this addition is not preserved (ghayr maḥfūẓ).
Imām Ibn Sīrīn himself said:
“I heard nothing about tashahhud after Sajdah al-Sahw — although sitting again is something I personally prefer.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1010)
Due to this, leading scholars like Imām Ibn al-Mundhir, al-Bayhaqī, and Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr have declared the extra tashahhud as weak and unproven.
✔ Both before-salām and after-salām methods of performing Sajdah al-Sahw are correct and established from the Prophet ﷺ.
✔ The before-salām method is usually preferred in case of doubt or addition, and the after-salām method is used in case of omission.
✔ There is no firm evidence to require a second tashahhud after Sajdah al-Sahw. Most scholars do not consider it necessary.
Source: Fatāwā Amunpūrī by Shaykh Ghulām Mustafa Zaheer Amunpūrī
❖ Question:
Should Sajdah al-Sahw (the prostration for forgetfulness) be done before or after salām in prayer?
✿ Answer:
Two valid methods of performing Sajdah al-Sahw have been authentically reported from the Sunnah.
① First Method: Sajdah al-Sahw Before Salām
The worshipper should complete the prayer, and before saying salām, he should perform two prostrations, then conclude the prayer with salām.
❀ Ḥadīth Evidence:
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh bin Buhayna al-Asadī رضي الله عنه narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ stood up during Ẓuhr prayer without sitting for the middle tashahhud. After completing the prayer, he made two prostrations before salām, while sitting, and the people also prostrated with him.
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1230, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 580)Sayyidunā Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“If one of you is uncertain whether he has prayed three or four rakʿāt, he should ignore the doubt and act upon what is certain. Then he should perform two prostrations before salām. If he had actually prayed five, the two prostrations will correct his prayer. And if he had completed four, the prostrations will be a humiliation for Shayṭān.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 571)② Second Method: Sajdah al-Sahw After Salām
The worshipper completes the prayer, says salām, and then performs two prostrations, followed by another salām.
❀ Ḥadīth Evidence:
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh bin Masʿūd رضي الله عنه narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ once led a prayer. Ibrāhīm (the narrator) says: I do not know whether he reduced or increased something. After salām, the people mentioned it. The Prophet ﷺ turned his feet toward the qiblah, performed two prostrations, then said salām again. He then turned to the people and said: “If there had been any change in the prayer, I would have informed you. I am only a human like you. I forget as you forget. So, if I forget, remind me. If one of you is uncertain in prayer, let him try to get it right and complete it, then perform two prostrations after salām.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 601)Sayyidunā ʿImrān bin Ḥuṣayn رضي الله عنه narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ led ʿAṣr prayer and concluded it after three rakʿāt. He returned home, and a man with long arms (Dhul-Yadayn) stood up and informed him. The Prophet ﷺ came out, prayed one rakʿah, said salām, then performed two prostrations, then said salām again.
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 574)❀ Clarification by ʿImrān bin Ḥuṣayn رضي الله عنه:
“He should say salām, then perform two prostrations, then say salām again.”
(Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār by al-Ṭaḥāwī: 1/442 – Chain is ḥasan)
Note Regarding Sitting for Tashahhud After Sajdah al-Sahw (Post-Salām):
There is one narration that mentions sitting for tashahhud again after the two prostrations, then offering a second salām.
Sayyidunā ʿImrān bin Ḥuṣayn رضي الله عنه narrated:
“The Prophet ﷺ forgot in the prayer, and after salām, he performed two prostrations, then sat for tashahhud, then said salām again.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1039; Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 395 – Chain is ṣaḥīḥ)However, this additional tashahhud was reported only by Ashʿath bin ʿAbd al-Malik, a student of Ibn Sīrīn. Though he is trustworthy, this addition is not preserved (ghayr maḥfūẓ).
Imām Ibn Sīrīn himself said:
“I heard nothing about tashahhud after Sajdah al-Sahw — although sitting again is something I personally prefer.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1010)Due to this, leading scholars like Imām Ibn al-Mundhir, al-Bayhaqī, and Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr have declared the extra tashahhud as weak and unproven.
Conclusion:
✔ Both before-salām and after-salām methods of performing Sajdah al-Sahw are correct and established from the Prophet ﷺ.
✔ The before-salām method is usually preferred in case of doubt or addition, and the after-salām method is used in case of omission.
✔ There is no firm evidence to require a second tashahhud after Sajdah al-Sahw. Most scholars do not consider it necessary.
