Causes for Sujud-ul-Sahw

[Amar.Abu.Yahia]

Q: What are the causes for Sujud-ul-Sahw (Prostration of Forgetfulness) in Salah (Prayer)? Please discuss this subject in detail. May Allah reward you.

A: The reasons for Sujud-ul-Sahw may be because an addition to Salah or a omission therefrom. The Prophet (peace be upon him) offered Sujud-ul-Sahw in a number of cases in which some acts relating to Salah slipped his mind (peace be upon him). For instance, he (peace be upon him) offered Sujud-ul-Sahw when he forgot to sit for the first Tashahhud (testification recited in the sitting position in the second unit of Prayer) and stood directly for the third Rak`ah (unit of Prayer); at that time, he offered two Sujuds before Taslim (salutation of peace ending the Prayer). He (peace be upon him) also offered Sujud-ul-Sahw after Taslim when he performed a four-Rak`ah Prayer as a two- Rak`ah one out of forgetfulness. In that situation, when he was notified of that slip, he completed Salah and then offered Sujud-ul-Sahw after Taslim. At other time, he forgot and offered a three-Rak`ah Salah instead of a four-Rak`ah one, and when he was reminded of that, he performed the fourth Rak`ah and then offered Sujud-ul-Sahw after Taslim. Sometimes, he (peace be upon him) obliviously added a fifth Rak`ah to the four-Rak`ah Salah, and when his attention was directed to this, he offered Sujud-ul-Sahw after Taslim. He (peace be upon him) said in this regard: I am a human being like you and liable to forget like you. Therefore, if I forget, remind me.

Accordingly, Sujud-ul-Sahw is attributed either to a reduction from Salah or an addition thereto as referred to above. If an Imam (the one who leads congregational Prayer) has added a Rak`ah, Ruku` (bowing), or Sujud (prostration) out of forgetfulness, the Ma'mums (persons being led by an Imam in Prayer) should draw his attention to that mistake, and the Imam should respond to their notice by offering Sujud-ul-Sahw before or after Taslim, unless he is certain of the correctness of what he has done. It is preferable that Sujud-ul-Sahw be offered before Taslim in all cases of forgetfulness, unless the latter is related to reducing one or more Rak`ah. In this case, Sujud-ul-Sahw is to be preferably offered after Taslim. Likewise, when the worshipper has forgotten how many Rak`ahs they has offered and completed Salah according to the number of Rak`ahs they are surer they have offered, they should also offer Sujud-ul-Sahw preferably after Taslim. It is reported on the authority of Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If one of you has doubts their Salah [how many Rak`ahs they have offered], they should follow what they think to be right, complete Salah accordingly, make Taslim, and then offer two Sujuds [of forgetfulness]. This means Sujud-ul-Sahw is to be done after Taslim in this case. In light of the above, it becomes clear that it is Mashru` (Islamically prescribed) to offer Sujud-ul-Sahw when they absentmindedly adds or omits anything from Salah.

If they, for instance, forget to offer Sujud, Ruku`, or one or more Rak`ahs, they are to be notified of their mistake, return to what is right, complete their Salah accordingly,
and then offer Sujud-ul-Sahw before Taslim, except in two cases in which it should be offered after Taslim: when the worshipper makes Taslim before they have offered one Rak`ah or more they have obliviously omitted and when the worshipper has doubts about how many Rak`ahs they have offered but mostly think of a certain number of Rak`ahs to have preponderance over another number. In this case, they have to complete their Salah according to that thought, offer Taslim, and then perform Sujud-ul-Sahw. However, if the worshipper has doubts about how many Rak`ahs they have performed without thinking mostly of a certain number to have preponderance in this regard, they have to complete Salah according to the lesser number and then offer Sujud-ul-Sahw before Taslim, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said in the Hadith narrated on the authority of Abu Sa`id (may Allah be pleased with him) that: If one of you has doubts during their Salah and does not know if they have offered three or four [Rak`ahs], let them remove their doubt, complete Salah accordingly and then make two Sujuds before Taslim. If they have offered five Rak`ahs, they [i.e., the two Sujuds] would make their Salah even and if they have completed the four Rak`ahs [when they have finished], they [i.e., the two Sujuds] would be in defiance of the devil.(Related by Muslim in his Sahih [Authentic Hadith Book]) This is Mashru` and Wajib (obligatory) on each Mu'min (believer), male and female, to do upon forgetting any act of Salah.

If the worshipper has some doubts during Salah and does not side with a certain thought related to what exactly they have performed, they should build on the amount they are certain to have performed, i.e., the lesser amount, and complete their Salah accordingly to be on the safe side. For example, if the worshipper does not know whether they have performed one or two Sujuds or two or three Rak'ahs, they should consider it to be just one in the former and two in the latter, offer the second Sujud or the third Rak'ah and complete their Salah as usual. Building on the lesser amount puts the worshipper on the safe side regarding Salah. If the worshipper has realized the mistake and made up for it during Salah (before Taslim), they should say Takbir (saying: "Allahu Akbar [Allah is the Greatest]") and offer Sujud-ul-Sahw exactly like the normal Sujud performed during Salah, saying thrice in each Sujud: 'Subhana Rabbiya Al-A`la (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High)' and supplicating Allah as done in the ordinary Sujud, and then say Taslim. However, if the worshipper sides with a certain thought in preponderance over the other regarding the doubt about how many Rak`ahs or Sujuds they have performed, they should build their Salah on the thought they side with. For instance, if the worshipper has doubts whether they have offered two or three Rak`ahs, but they think performing three has preponderance over two, they should make it three, complete their Salah accordingly, and offer Sujud-ul-Sahw after Taslim, unless he is an Imam whose attention has been drawn by the Ma'mums that he has forgotten some act of Salah, in which case, the Imam should respond, as the belief of a group is more certain than his belief. If the worshipper has forgotten to do something that is Mustahab (desirable) and not Wajib to be done during Salah, they are not required to offer Sujud-ul-Sahw. If, for instance, the worshipper has forgotten to raise their hands on Takbirat-ul-Ihram (saying: "Allahu Akbar [Allah is the Greatest]" upon starting Prayer) or upon Ruku`, or if they have performed Tawarruk (placing the left foot under the right leg and sitting on the posterior during the last Tashahhud) in the first Tashahhud, or Iftirash (placing the left foot to the side and sitting on it between the two prostrations, keeping the right foot vertical) in the last Tashahhud in the four- or three - Rak`ah Prayers, they are not required to offer Sujud-ul-Sahw, as it is not Wajib in such cases. However, there would be no problem if they offer it.

Source:
http://alifta.com/Search/ResultDetai...stKeyWordFound

[Umm.Musa.bint.Muhammad]

as-salamu 'alaikum,

here are some more benefits about sajdah sahuw from Shaykh al-Albaani:

the prostrations of forgetfulness

[Amar.Abu.Yahia]

What about the Ma'mum (person being led by an Imam in Prayer)

Ruling on forgetting to sit for the First Tashahhud

Q: If the worshipper, for example, offers Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer and performs the first two Rak`ahs (units of Prayer) but does not sit to recite the first Tashahhud (testification recited in the sitting position in the second unit of Prayer)out of forgetfulness, what should they do in this case?

A: If the worshipper forgets to sit for the first Tashahhud, whether in Maghrib, Zhuhr (Noon) Prayer, `Asr (Afternoon) or `Isha' (Night) Prayer, they must perform Sujud-ul-Sahw (Prostration of Forgetfulness). In other words, if the worshipper forgets the first Tashahhud out of forgetfulness, they must perform Sujud-ul-Sahw and this applies to Zhuhr, `Asr, Maghrib and `Isha' Prayers. However, if they are informed about it or remember before getting up for the third Rak`ah, they should sit and recite Al-Tahiyyaat (i.e. saying: "Al-Tahiyyaat Lillaahi wa'l-salaawaatu wa'l-tayyibaat. Al-salaamu `alayka ayyuha'l-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allahi wa barakaatuhu. Al-salaamu `alayna wa `ala `ibaad-Illaah il-saaliheen. Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan `abduhu wa rasooluhu [All compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the Mercy and Blessings of Allah. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Servant and Messenger of Allah]'').

If they get up for the third Rak`ah and they are not informed of this or do not remember, they may continue with Salah (Prayer), all praise be to Allah. This happened with the Prophet (peace be upon him). When he stood for the third Rak`ah forgetting to sit for the first Tashahhud, he continued with Salah and completed it by performing Sujud-ul-Sahw before Taslim (salutation of peace ending the Prayer). The Ummah (nation based on one creed) should follow the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him) because Allah (Exalted be He) says: Indeed in the Messenger of Allâh (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) you have a good example to follow If the Imam (the one who leads congregational Prayer) or Munfarid (person offering Salah individually) forgets the first Tashahhud and is not made aware or does not remember until they stand for the third Rak`ah, they may proceed with Salah and perform Sujud-ul-Sahw before Taslim. If they are made aware and thus go back to sit for the first Tashahhud before starting the third Rak`ah, there is no problem and this suffices along with Sujud-ul-Sahw. However, it is better not to go back and continue with Salah. If they start reciting in the third Rak`ah, it is Haram (prohibited) for them to go back to sit for the first Tashahhud.

Rather, they should continue with Salah until they finish and then perform Sujud-ul-Sahw. As for the Ma'mums (persons being led by an Imam in Prayer), they do not have to do anything because they are following the Imam. Thus, if the Ma'mum is not a latecomer and offers Salah after Imam from its beginning and out of forgetfulness gets up for the third Rak`ah while the Imam is sitting for the first Tashahhud, they have to go back and sit for the first Tashahhud with the Imam. Besides, they do not have to perform Sujud-ul-Sahw. In addition, if the Ma'mum adds an extra Sujud (prostration) or Ruku` (bowing) out of forgetfulness, their Salah is valid. They may continue with it and do not have to perform Sujud-ul-Sahw because they are following the Imam. In the same manner, if they forget to say 'Subhana Rabbiya Al-A`la (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High)' in Sujud or 'Subhana Rabbiya Al-`Azhim (Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great)' in Ruku`, they do not have to perform Sujud-ul-Sahw because they are following the Imam and he carries the responsibility for them.

Source: http://alifta.com/Fatawa/FatawaChapt...eNo=1&BookID=8

Q: Should a latecomer to congregational Salah (Prayer) perform Sujud-ul-Sahw (Prostration of Forgetfulness) if they make a mistake? When should a latecomer perform Sujud-ul-Sahw? Should a Ma’mum (person being led by an Imam in Prayer) perform Sujud-ul-Sahw when they make a mistake?

A: A Ma’mum is not required to perform Sujud-ul-Sahw when they make a mistake and they should follow the Imam (the one who leads congregational Prayer), if they joined the congregational Salah from the beginning. However, the one who joined the congregational Salah late should perform Sujud-ul-Sahw with the Imam, if the latter made a mistake, or perform it alone after completing the Salah if they make a mistake while making up for what they missed before joining the Imam, as mentioned in the previous questions. May Allah grant us success!

Source: http://alifta.com/Fatawa/FatawaChapt...No=1&BookID=14