282. Salaat At -Taubah

By Asma bint Shameem 

We all make mistakes. 

But Alhamdulillaah, Allaah is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful. 

He provides us opportunities upon opportunities to seek pardon and have our sins forgiven. 

One of those opportunities is “Salaat at-Taubah”. 

When one of us sins, we should repent right away and pray two rak’ah prayer with the intention of making sincere taubah to Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala. 

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“ *There is no one who commits a sin then purifies himself well and stands and prays two rak’ahs, then asks Allaah for forgiveness, but Allaah will forgive him*.” (Abu Dawood—saheeh by al-Albaani)

*HOW TO PRAY IT*?

Salaat at-Taubah is a two rakaah prayer and prayed just like any other prayer. 

There are no ‘ *special ways*’ to read it and NO specific surahs or  adhkaar to be recited. 

Just make wudhu then read two rak’aat with the intention of making taubah, *regretting* what you did from the bottom of your heart and having *firm* *resolve never to repeat* that sin ever again. 

 *WHEN SHOULD I READ IT*?

We should read this prayer *as soon as we realize* we’ve sinned. 

And it doesn’t matter whether the sin is major or minor, big or small, recent or old. Or if it’s one sin or multiple. 

This two rak’ah prayer will suffice *IF* you’re sincere in your taubah. 

And since Salaat at-Taubah is a prayer for which there’s a *reason*, we can read it ANY time of the day or night, even at times when any non-specific nawaafil are prohibited, for example after Asr or Fajr. 

Ibn Taymiyah said: 

“Prayers which are done for a reason.... should not be delayed if the reason comes up at a time when prayer is disallowed, because delaying them may cause one to miss them... 

The same applies to the prayer of repentance. If a person commits a sin, then it is obligatory to repent straight away, and it is recommended for him to pray two rak’ahs, then repent, as it says in the hadeeth of Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq.” (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa(23/215). 

So can I read Salaat at-Taubah every day “just in case” for any sin I ‘may’ have done during the day?

No. 

Salaat at-Taubah is read for a SPECIFIC sin or sins that a person commits. 

It’s NOT a ‘general’ prayer to be read ROUTINELY every day without any specific sins in mind. 

Are there any specific Surahs that I should read when praying Salaat at-Taubah?

NO. 

There are NO specific Surahs to be read. 

Rather one may ANY Surah in their prayer. 

The scholars said:

“There is no report from the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam to say that it is mustahabb to recite any particular soorahs in these two rak’ahs, so the worshipper may recite whatever he wants.”

(Islamqa Fatwa # 98030)

May Allaah enable us to utilize this beautiful and easy opportunity to have our sins forgiven and forgive us. Ameen.