The Forgetfulness Prostrations (Sujood Sahu)

By Asma bint Shameem 

Sujood as-Sahw are two sujood that we do when we make a mistake in our Salah or we’re unsure about something in it. 

Basically you do the two sujood as-Sahw in three situations:

1. If you add something by mistake in your prayer

2. If you forget or skip something from your prayer. 

3. If you’re not sure or confused about something in your prayer. For example, you’re not sure if you prayed three rak’ah or four. Or you’re not sure if you did one sajdah or two, etc. 

‘WHEN’ TO DO SUJOOD AS-SAHW: Before or After the Tasleem?

There are some ulama who say that there are certain situations where you do sujood as-Sahw ‘before’ the salaam, and certain situations where you do sujood as-Sahw ‘after’ the salaam. 

But if we look at ‘all’ the ahaadeeth and the practice of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam and the Sahaabah, not all situations conform to that. 

And honestly speaking, it gets really very confusing to remember if one us supposed to do the Sahw ‘before’ or ‘after’ the Tasleem. 

That’s why shaikh al-Albaani said:

“For all prostrations of forgetfulness, one has the *choice* between prostrating ‘before’ the tasleem or ‘after’ the tasleem. And the detailed explanation mentioned in some, especially Hanbali, books that it is before the tasleem for additions and after the tasleem for omissions – this is baseless. Those who say so, saw some cases to which such an explanation can be applied, however, there are also cases that nullify this explanation. Therefore, one has the choice between performing the tasleem then prostrating, or prostrating then performing the tasleem of exiting the prayer.”

BOTTOM LINE:

We can do sujood as-Sahw BEFORE the Tasleem OR we could do it AFTER the Tasleem. 

We have a CHOICE. 

BUT according to the opinion of Shaikh al-Albaani, it’s BETTER to do it BEFORE the Tasleem. 

Shaikh al-Albaani said:

“…When all the hadeeths are gathered together, it becomes clear that one who forgets in prayer has a choice: if he wants, he (first) performs the tasleem and that is absolutely better; or if he wants, he does not perform the tasleem except after completing the two prostrations of forgetfulness.”

HOW TO DO SUJOOD AS-SAHW

1. BEFORE the Tasleem 

Whenever there’s a need to do sujood as-Sahw and you want to do it BEFORE the tasleem, then in this situation you should continue with your Salah until you’ve reached the tashahhud. Read the tashahhud, send peace and salutations on the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam and make any duaas like you usually would in your Salah. 

Then just before you ‘would’ have said the salaams, do NOT say the salaams. 

Instead say Allaahu Akbar, go into the first sajdah of Sahw, say Subhaana Rabbi al-A’alaa three times (like you usually say in your Salah), sit up and say ‘Rabbighfir lee’ or other duaa (like you usually say in between the two sujood of Salah), then go down for the second sajdah and say ‘Subhaana Rabbi al-A’alaa’ three times (like you usually say in your Salah), then sit up and right away say salaam to the right and the left. And you’re done with sujood as-Sahw. 

There’s NO need to repeat the tashahhud. 

2. AFTER the Tasleem 

If there’s a need for sujood as-Sahw and you want to do it AFTER the tasleem, all you do is once you’ve said both salaams to the right and the left, you fall into the first sajdah of Sahw, say Subhaana Rabbi al-‘Aalaa three times like you say in your salah, sit up and say the duaa you normally say in between the two sujood, then go back into the second sajdah of Sahw. 

Read Subhaana Rabbi al-‘Aalaa again as you would normally for any sajdah then sit up and say Salam to the right and then Salam to the left. 

That’s it. 

You’re done with your sujood as-Sahw. 

And again, there’s NO NEED to repeat the Tashahhud. 

Ibn Mas’ood radhi Allaahu anhu  said that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam led them in praying Dhuhr and he prayed five rak’ahs. When he had finished it was said to him: “Has something been added to the prayer?” 

He said: “Why are you asking that?” 

They said: “You prayed five (rak’ahs).” 

So he turned towards the qiblah and prostrated twice.” (al-Bukhaari,  Muslim)

SOME PRACTICAL SCENARIOS

Scenario #1: ADDING SOMETHING TO THE SALAH

If you think you’ve added something extra to the salah by mistake, no worries; just perform the two sujood at the end of the prayer either before or after the tasleem. 

And In shaa’ Allaah you’re good to go. 

Scenario #2: SKIPPING SOMETHING IN THE SALAH

If you realize you missed or forgot something from the prayer by mistake then it is of two types depending on WHAT you missed. 

A)MISSING A ‘RUKN’ (PILLAR)

i) If you missed a PILLAR or ‘rukn’ of Salah (See list of pillars and obligatory parts of Salah below) and you realize that you missed it BEFORE you reach the same point in your next rak’ah then you should immediately go back to that which you forgot then complete your salah from that point onwards. And then do the two sujood as-Sahw at the end of the salah. 

Practical Example: 

If you started your prayer and after reciting the Faatihah and Surah, you went into sajdah directly WITHOUT going into rukoo’, and you realize that you didn’t do the rukoo’ BEFORE you reached the rukoo’ of the second rak’ah then you have to immediately stop at whatever point you were in your Salah and go back and do the rukoo’ that you missed. Then carry on from that point onwards as you would normally. 

Then you will do the two sujood as-Sahw at the end. 

ii)  If you missed a Pillar or ‘rukn’ of Salah and you don’t realize that you missed it UNTIL you reach the SAME point in your next rak’ah then you should make up that part that you missed and DISREGARD the rak’ah in which you made that mistake and count the PRESENT rak’ah as your VALID rak’ah. 

That’s because the first rak’ah in which you missed a pillar does NOT COUNT. 

Practical Example:

If you started your prayer and after reciting the Faatihah and Surah, you went into sajdah directly without going into rukoo’, and you DON’T realize that you didn’t do the rukoo’ UNTIL you reached the rukoo’ of the second rak’ah, then DISREGARD your first rak’ah. 

It does NOT count. 

Do your rukoo’ considering your second rak’ah as your first and then continue with your prayer Then do the sujood as-Sahw at the end of your prayer. 

B) MISSING A ‘WAAJIB’ (or obligatory part)

If you forget an OBLIGATORY part of the Salah (yes, the list is below ), and you’ve moved on to the next part, then just continue with your Salah and do the sujood as-Sahw at the end. 

If you remember that you’ve missed a waajib before you’ve moved on to the next part, you can just make it up right then and there. 

Example:

If you were supposed to sit for tashahhud but you forgot and you start standing up but remember you were supposed to sit for tashahhud AS YOU WERE GETTING UP (without completely standing upright), then sit back down and complete it. And there’s no need for sujood as-Sahw. 

But if you stand up for a third rak’ah without sitting for tashahhud although you were supposed to sit, then if you’ve already stood up you can carry on and complete your Salah without the first tashahhud and just do the two sujood as-Sahw at the end of the prayer. 

The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said: 

“If the Imam stands up after the second rak‘ah, and remembers that he has to sit, before he straightens himself (upright), then he should sit down, and if he straightened upright, he should not sit and make two prostrations of forgetfulness.” 

(Abu Dawud, saheeh by al-Albaani )

Scenario #3: CONFUSION 

If you’re not sure or confused about something in your prayer

Example: You’re NOT SURE if you prayed three rak’ah or four. Or you’re not sure if you did one sajdah or two.

In  this situation, if you’re ever confused about the number of rak’aat or the number of sujood, etc then always err on the side of caution and count the lesser number. 

In other words, for example if you’re not sure about your rak’aat whether you did three or four, then count them as three. That’s because you KNOW for sure you did at least three. Then read one more rak’ah to make it four. And do sujood as-Sahw in the end, either before or after the Tasleem. 

The choice is yours although according to the opinion of Shaikh al-Albaani it’s better to do it before the Tasleem. 

PILLARS of Salah 

(Rukn-singular, Arkaan- plural)

1. Standing during fardh prayers if one is able to do so

2. The opening takbeer (saying “Allaahu akbar”)

3. Reciting al-Faatihah

4. Rukoo’ 

5. Rising from bowing

6. Standing up straight

7. Sujood 

8. Rising from sujood

9. Sitting between the two sujood. 

10. Being at ease in each of these physical pillars

11. The final tashahhud

12. Sitting to recite the final tashahhud and the two salaams

13. The two salaams. 

14. Doing the pillars in the order mentioned. If a person deliberately prostrates before bowing, for example, the prayer is invalidated; if he does that by mistake, he has to go back and bow, and then prostrate.

THE OBLIGATORY of Salah 

(Waajib -singular, wajibaat-plural)

1. All the Takbeers EXCEPT the opening takbeer

2. Saying “Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah”

3. Saying “Rabbana wa laka’l-hamd”

4. Saying “Subhaana rabbiy al-‘azeem at least once in rukoo’

5. Saying “Subhaana rabbiy al-a’laa at least once in Sujdah. 

6. Saying “Rabb ighfir li ” between the two sujood. 

7. The first tashahhud

8. Sitting for the first tashahhud

The difference between pillars (rukn/essential parts) and obligatory parts/Waajibaat of prayer is that the pillar (rukn) HAS to be done. 

Salah is not valid without it. And it cannot be omitted deliberately, by mistake or out of ignorance. 

The obligatory part (waajib) may be omitted due to ignorance or forgetfulness, and you don’t have to do it. 

Rather it can be compensated for by doing sujood al-sahw. 

And Allaah knows best.