Sujud al-Sahw: How to Do the Prostration of Forgetfulness in Salah

Sujud al-sahw, also called sajda sahw, is two prostrations made at the end of the prayer to make up for a mistake made through forgetfulness. IslamWeb lists three situations that call for it: adding something by mistake, such as an extra rak'ah or prostration, omitting one of the prayer's required acts, and doubting how much has been prayed.

The Prophet himself forgot in prayer and showed how to repair it, saying that he was a human being who forgets as others forget (Sahih al-Bukhari 401). Prayer is established for Allah's remembrance (Quran 20:14), the Quran praises those humble in their prayers (23:1-2), and it teaches the prayer, 'Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark!' (2:286).

Its status differs. A Shafi'i answer on IslamQA.org calls it recommended and records that Imam Ahmad and the Hanafi al-Karkhi held it obligatory, while Malik held it obligatory for an omission and recommended for an addition. Shaykh Faraz Rabbani says the Hanafi school requires it when a necessary (wajib) act is forgotten. Al-Bukhari's chapter for Sahih al-Bukhari 1232 covers obligatory and voluntary prayers.

Sources: [12] [1] [36] [37] [35] [2] [17] [20]

Four authentic reports underlie every school's rules. They show the prostrations made both before and after the salam, which is why the schools reached different conclusions about which is preferred.

In the report of Dhul-Yadayn, a man asked whether the prayer had been shortened or the Prophet had forgotten, and the Prophet completed what was missing before prostrating. Sunan Abi Dawud 1036, graded sahih by al-Albani, adds that an imam who remembers the first tashahhud before standing fully upright sits back down, and otherwise continues and prostrates twice.

Sources: [3] [4] [5] [6] [1] [7]

The prostrations are the same in every school: say Allahu akbar and prostrate as in any prayer, rise to sit with takbir, prostrate a second time and rise again with takbir. Sahih al-Bukhari 1229 describes each prostration as like the Prophet's ordinary prostration or a little longer.

What differs is whether they come before or after the salam and what follows them; the outline below shows the common pattern, and the school table in the next section gives each method.

• Complete the prayer up to the final sitting and recite the tashahhud.
• Before the salam: make the two prostrations at the end of the final sitting, then give the salam.
• After the salam: give the salam, make the two prostrations with takbir, then end the prayer as your school teaches.
• In the Shafi'i school the imam or person praying alone intends the prostrations silently; the follower need not.

Sources: [4] [17]

Both are valid; the schools differ over what is preferred. IslamQA quotes al-Mawardi that the jurists do not disagree that it may be done before or after the salam, only about which is Sunnah, and IslamWeb likewise says scholars agree the prayer is valid either way.

Each position rests on reports. The Shafi'i answer prefers Ibn Buhaynah's report of prostrating before the salam, while Hanafi answers cite Sunan Abi Dawud 1038, graded hasan by al-Albani: for each forgetfulness, two prostrations after the salam. Each school has further details; IslamWeb, for example, quotes the Hanbali al-Zarkashi placing them after the salam when one acts on what seems most likely in a doubt.

Sources: [13] [12] [17] [8] [14] [19] [15] [16] [18]

It is for forgetful mistakes in acts the school treats as required or emphasised, not for every slip and not as a routine extra. Shaykh Faraz Rabbani writes for the Hanafi school that leaving an obligatory (fard) act invalidates the prayer rather than being repaired by prostration, and that adding these prostrations to every prayer without need is a reprehensible innovation.

Because each school classifies the acts of prayer differently, the same slip can be treated differently. The examples below come from the cited answers and illustrate the reasoning; they are not a complete list.

• Forgetting the first tashahhud: the Prophet continued and prostrated (Sahih al-Bukhari 1224); the Permanent Committee, quoted on IslamQA, says leaving it deliberately invalidates the prayer.
• Standing for an extra rak'ah: a Hanafi answer says to return to the final sitting and prostrate; if you skipped the final sitting and have already prostrated in the extra rak'ah, the obligatory prayer is repeated.
• Forgetting the surah you began after Al-Fatihah and reciting another: a Hanafi answer says no prostration is needed.
• Missing the bowing and remembering in prostration: a Maliki answer says to return to bowing, continue and prostrate after the salam.
• Doubting whether you made a prostration: IslamWeb, quoting Hanbali texts, says to go back and make it, since these prostrations do not replace a missing pillar.

Sources: [20] [3] [21] [22] [23] [24] [19]

Settle the doubt, complete the prayer and make the two prostrations. Sahih Muslim 571a says that whoever does not know whether he has prayed three or four should cast aside the doubt, build on what he is sure of and prostrate twice before the salam; Sahih al-Bukhari 401 says to aim for what is correct, complete the prayer, give the salam and prostrate twice.

Scholars combine the two reports in different ways. IslamQA says to build on the smaller number and prostrate before the salam when neither option seems more likely, and to act on what seems more likely and prostrate after the salam when one does. A SeekersGuidance Hanafi answer tells someone with frequent doubts to act on his first inclination and not revisit it.

Constant doubt is treated differently from an occasional lapse. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymin, answering on IslamQA, told someone who doubted in almost every prayer not to pay attention to those doubts or prostrate for them, and the same Hanafi answer cites Ibn Abidin that a person overtaken by whisperings should give them no attention.

Sources: [6] [1] [13] [25] [26]

Follow the imam. The Prophet said the imam is appointed to be followed, so do not differ from him, and 'if he prostrates, prostrate' (Sahih al-Bukhari 722). IslamQA quotes Ibn Qudamah and Ibn al-Mundhir that scholars agree a follower who prayed the whole prayer with the imam prostrates with him, whether before or after the salam.

A follower who forgets something small himself generally does not prostrate. An Askimam Hanafi answer says the prostration is due only on the imam and the person praying alone, and Shaykh Ibn Uthaymin, quoted on IslamQA, says the imam carries it for him; a missed pillar, however, may still have to be made up.

Latecomers have extra details. Ibn Uthaymin's summary says a latecomer prostrates with the imam before the salam but does not follow him in prostrations after it, completing his own prayer first, while a SeekersGuidance Hanafi answer says a latecomer who has already stood should sit back down and follow the imam.

Sources: [9] [27] [28] [29] [30]

If you remember soon after the salam, you can usually still do it. A Hanafi answer on SeekersGuidance says it remains due while you still face the qibla and have not spoken worldly speech, a Shafi'i answer on IslamQA.org allows it if you forgot and prostrate shortly afterwards, and the Maliki manual makes a forgotten pre-salam prostration after the salam.

If a long time has passed, the prayer is generally not lost. The Permanent Committee, quoted on IslamQA, says that whoever leaves the prostrations through forgetfulness or not knowing the ruling does not repeat the prayer, though leaving them deliberately is different, and Shaykh Faraz Rabbani writes that, in the Hanafi school, past prayers missing only a necessary act need not be repeated.

Sources: [31] [32] [18] [33] [20]

Say what you say in any prostration, such as Subhana Rabbiyal-A'la, Glory be to my Lord Most High. IslamQA quotes the Hanbali al-Mardawi that what is said in these prostrations is the same as in the prayer's prostration and says there is no special remembrance for them; the Shafi'i answer cites al-Mutawalli and al-Adhra'i to the same effect.

A phrase often linked to these prostrations, Subhana man la yanamu wa la yas-hu, Glory be to the One who neither sleeps nor forgets, has no established source: the Shafi'i answer quotes Ibn Hajar saying he found none, and IslamQA says there is no evidence for it, though a Shafi'i answer on Qibla mentions scholars who encourage it.

Sources: [21] [17] [32]

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