Chapter 08 - Sujud as-Sahu (Prostration due to forgetfulness during the prayer)...

350. ‘Abdullah bin Buhainah : narrated, ‘Once the Messenger of Allah led us in Dhuhr prayer and stood up after two rak’at and did not sit down (for the middle tashahhud). The people stood up with him. When the prayer was about to end, the people waited for him to say the taslim. He said the takbir while sitting down, and prostrated twice before he finally said the taslim.’ Related by the seven imams and the wording is from Al-Bukhari.

In the narration by Muslim, ‘and he said the takbir in each prostration while he was sitting down and would then prostrate. The people prostrated with him to compensate for the middle sitting (after two rak’at) that he forgot (during the prayer).’


351. Abu Hurairah : narrated, ‘The Prophet prayed either Dhuhr or ‘Asr prayer with us and he prayed only two rak’at and then finished the prayer by making the taslim. He got up and leaned against a piece of wood in the front part of the mosque. Abu Bakr and ‘Umar : were present among the people on that day, but they did not dare to speak to the Prophet (about the two remaining rak’aat). Some people left the mosque in a hurry and wondered, ‘Has the prayer been shortened?’ Among the people there was a man called Dhul Yadain {1} who said, ‘O Messenger of Allah have you forgotten or has the prayer been shortened? The Messenger of Allah said “I have forgotten and the prayer has not been shortened.” Dhul Yadain then said, ‘Surely you have forgotten, O Allah’s Messenger.” So the Prophet got up and prayed two (more) rak’at and finished the prayer with taslim. After that he said takbir and prostrated the way he usually prostrated or perhaps a little longer. Next he raised his head and said the takbir. Then he said the takbir again and performed another prostration, the way he usually prostrated or perhaps a little longer. Finally he raised his head and said the takbir. (The Prophet performed the two prostrations of forgetfulness (Sujud as-Sahu) after praying the two missed rak’at.’ Agreed upon. In the narration of Muslim. ‘In the ‘Asr prayer.’

{1} The Messenger of Allah called him Dhul Yadain (the man with the two hands) because his hands were long.


352. In the narration of Abu Dawud, ‘The Prophet said (to the people in the mosque), “Is it ‘true’ as Dhul Yadain has just said?” The people nodded their heads confirming what he said. This narration is also in Al-Bukhari and Muslim but with the wording, ‘They said “Yes” instead of ‘nodded their heads’.


353. In another narration by Abu Dawud on the authority of Abu Hurairah, ‘and he did not prostrate until Allah, the Exalted, made him absolutely sure about it (that he had only prayed two rak’at).


354. ‘Imran bin al-Husain : narrated that the messenger of Allah led them in prayer and forgot (to do something), so he made two prostrations and recited the tashahhud and then said the taslim.’ Related by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi, who graded it as hasan (good).


355. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri : radiyallahuanh: narrated that Allah’s Messenger said, “If one of you is uncertain during his prayer, and he does not remember for sure (the number of rak’at) he has prayed, three or four rak’at, then he should put an end to his doubts and proceed in his prayer based on the number (of rak’at) that he is certain he had performed {2} and then make two prostrations before the taslim. If he had prayed five rak’at, the two prostrations would make his prayer even (i.e. with an even number of rak’at as the two prostrations are considered as one rak’ah). If he had prayed four complete rak’at (when he had finished), they would be in defiance of Satan.” Related by Muslim.

{2} He must always assume that he certainly prayed the lesser number of rak’at. For example if he is in doubt whether he prayed three or four rak’at, he assumes that he certainly prayed three, if he is uncertain whether he prayed two or one rak’ah, he assumes that he prayed only one and so on.


356. ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud : narrated, ‘Once Allah’s Messenger was praying,and when he said the taslim, he was asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah , has something new happened in the prayer?’ He replied, “What is that?” They said, ‘You prayed so and so many rak’at’. The Messenger of Allah then changed the position of his feet, faced the Qiblah and made two prostrations. After he said the taslim, he turned his face to the people and said, “If anything new happened in the prayer, I would have informed you about it. But I am only a human being and I forget just as you do, so when I forget, remind me, and when any of you is uncertain about his prayer, he should try his best to remember exactly what he did,and then proceed with his prayer taking this into consideration (whether concerning a rak’ah or an integral part of the prayer). Then he should make two prostrations.” Agreed upon.


357. In the narration of al-Bukhari, “He must finish his prayer, say the taslim and then make the two prostrations afterwards.”

358. In the narration of Muslim, ‘The Messenger of Allah made the two prostrations of Sahu (forgetfulness) after making the taslim and talking (the dialogue that took place between him and the Companions about what happened in the prayer).’


359. ‘Abdullah bin Jaf’ar : narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “Whoever is uncertain about his prayer, he should make two prostrations after the taslim.”{3} Related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud, and graded Sahih by Ibn Khuzaimah.

{3} There is a difference of opinion whether to make the prostrations before or after the taslim as both cases are mentioned in the ahadith, but Imam Ahmad said that it is better to apply each hadith in similar cases, and if it is not mentioned in any of the aforementioned ahadith, then it is better to prostrate before taslim, or he has the choice to do either.



360. Al-Mughirah bin Shu’bah : narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "If one of you is in doubt (about which rak’ah he is praying) and he stood up after praying two rak’at, and he has already stood straight (when he remembered that he forgot to sit), he should proceed (with his prayer) and must not sit back again, but he should perform two prostrations (of forgetfulness). If he (remembers when he) has not completely stood up straight, then he should sit down (for the middle tashahhud) and he does not have to make the two prostrations of sahu (forgetfulness).” Related by Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Ad-Daraqutni with a weak chain of narrators. The wording is from ad-Daraqutni.


361. 'Umar : narated that the Messenger of Allah said, "The one who is led in prayer does not have to make the two prostrations of forgetfulness. But if the Imam himself forgets, both the Imam and those praying behind him must make the two prostrations." Related by at-Tirmidhi and Al-Baihaqi with a weak chain of narrators.


362. Thauban : narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "One must prostrate twice (Sujud as-Sahu) every time he forgets{4} any of the actions of the prayer." Related by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah with a weak chain of narrators.

{4} What is meant here is that he performs only two prostrations at the end of the prayer, for any number of actions, which he forgot in one prayer.

363. Abu Hurairah : narrated, “We performed prostration along with the Messenger of Allah when he recited, “When the heaven split asunder,” (surah no. 84) and when he recited, “Read! In the Name of your Lord, who has created…” (Surah no.96) {5} Related by Muslim.
{5} I.e. The prophet prostrated when he recited the verse (Ayah) of prostration in each of these suras.


364. Ibn ‘Abbas : narrated, “The prostration in surah Sad, is not a compulsory one, but I saw the Messenger of Allah prostrating when he recited it.” Related by Al-Bukhari.


365. Ibn ‘Abbas : narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah prostrated when he recited (surah) “an-Najm” (surah no.53). Related by Al-Bukhari.


366. Zaid bin Thabit narrated, ‘I recited (surah) “an-Najm” to the Prophet but he did not prostrate.” {6} Agreed upon.

{6}This kind of prostration is sunnah (i.e. not obligatory) for the one reciting or listening, but it is preferable to do it.


367. Khalid bin Ma’dan : narrated, ‘Surah”al-Hajj” (no.22) is more excellent than the other Suras by having two prostrations (i.e. two verses of prostrations.)” Related b Abu Dawud.


368. Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi related the above hadith on the authority of ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir, linked up to the Prophet At-Tirmidhi added, ‘The one who does not make the two prostrations (when reciting the surah), should not recite them.” The chain of narrators of this hadith is weak.


369. ‘Umar : narrated, ’O people, we came across verses of prostration{7}, whoever prostrates has done the right thing, yet there is no sin upon the one who does not do so.’ Related by Al-Bukhari. This hadith has the addition, ‘Allah, Glorified be He, has not made it compulsory for us to make the prostration (of Qur’anic recitation), but whoever wishes can make it.” This hadith is also in al-Muwatta’.

{7} ‘Umar : said this in the Friday Khutbah (sermon), because one Friday he recited the surah an-Nahl and he came down from the pulpit and prostrated alog with the people. The next Friday he recited the same surah but did not prostrate, hence he said what is in the hadith.



370. Ibn ‘Umar : narrated, “The Messenger of Allah would recite the Qur’an to us, and when he came to a verse of Sajdah (prostration) he would say the takbir and prostrate, and we would make the sajdah with him.” Related by Abu Dawud with a weak chain of narrators.


371. Abu Bakrah : narrated, “Whenever the Prophet received something which pleased him (e.g. good news), he would make the sajdah (prostration) in gratitude to Allah.” Related by the five Imams except An-Nasa’i.


372. ‘AbdurRahman bin ‘Auf : narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah prostrated, but it was so long (that ‘AbdurRahman was worried about him). When he raised his head, he said (to him), “Jiibril came to me and told me some glad tidings, so I prostrated out of thanks to Allah.”{8} Related by Ahmad an al-Hakim graded it as Sahih.

{8} The Messenger of Allah said to ‘AbdurRahman (who was watching him at the time), “Jibril came to me and said, ‘Shall I not give you glad tidings?’ Allah says to you, “Whoever prays upon you, I pray upon him. Whoever salutes you (says Assalamu ‘Alaikum) I salute him.’ Therefore I prostrated to Allah in Thanks.” In another narration, “Whoever prays upon you once, Allah will pray upon him 10 times.”


373. Al-Bara’ bin ‘Azib : narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah sent ‘Ali to Yemen – and Al-Bara’ mentioned the rest of the hadith. He continued, “’Ali then sent a letter telling (the Prophet ) that they had embraced Islam. When the Messenger of Allah read the letter, he went down to prostrate in gratitude to Allah, the Almighty, for this.” Related by al-Baihaqi.