Sunday 21 Jumada al-akhirah 1446 - 22 December 2024
English

What is to be said in the prostration of forgetfulness and the prostration of recitation?

Question

What should the worshipper say when he prostrates for forgetfulness in prayer (sujood al-sahw)? And what should he say when he performs a prostration as required in certain verses of the Qur’aan?.

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

When performing the prostrations of forgetfulness and of recitation, you should say the same as you say when you prostrate in prayer: “Subhaana Rabbiy al-A’la (Glory be to my Lord Most High).” What is obligatory is to say that once, and the least required in order to do it perfectly is to say it three times. It is mustahabb to make du`a’ when prostrating, reciting whatever you can of the du`a’s prescribed in sharee’ah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:  “When bowing glorify your Lord, and when prostrating strive in making du`a’, for then you are more likely to receive an answer.”  

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The closest that a person can be to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so say a lot of du`a’.”  

These two hadeeth were both narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) often used to say when bowing and prostrating: “Subhaanaka Allahumma wa bi hamdika, Allahumma ighfir li (Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise. O Allah, forgive me).” Agreed upon – from the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). And he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also used to say when bowing and prostrating: “Subbooh quddoos Rabb ul-malaa’ikah wa’l-rooh (Glorified, Holy, Lord of the angels and the Spirit [i.e., Jibreel].” Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh. 

And Allah is the Source of strength. 

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Source: Al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta’, 6/443