Sujud Sahwi: Prostration of Error in Solat – JSS3 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (Second Term)

Sujud Sahwi is an important part of Islamic prayer. The word “Sujud” means prostration (putting your forehead on the ground), and “Sahwi” means forgetfulness. So, Sujud Sahwi means “prostration of forgetfulness.” It is a way to fix mistakes that happen during prayer because of forgetting something.

 What is Sujud Sahwi?

Sujud Sahwi is two extra prostrations that a person does when they make a mistake in prayer because they forgot something. These prostrations help fix the prayer so it remains valid despite the mistake.

When Do We Perform Sujud Sahwi?

There are three main cases when we should do Sujud Sahwi:

1. When we add something extra to the prayer by mistake

For example:

– Standing up when we should be sitting

– Adding an extra rakah (unit of prayer)

– Making an extra prostration

– Reciting out loud in a silent prayer, or staying silent in a prayer that should be recited out loud

2. When we leave out something that is not required but recommended (Sunnah)

For example:

– Forgetting to recite the first Tashahhud (sitting and reciting specific words in the middle of prayer)

– Forgetting to say “Subhana Rabbiyal Adheem” during bowing

– Forgetting to say “Subhana Rabbiyal A’la” during prostration

3. When we are in doubt about our prayer

For example:

– Not sure if we prayed 3 or 4 rakahs

– Not remembering if we did a certain action in prayer

How to Perform Sujud Sahwi

There are two ways to perform Sujud Sahwi:

Method 1: Before the Final Salam

1. Complete your prayer until the final sitting
2. Recite the final Tashahhud
3. Before saying Salam (the final greeting to end the prayer), do two extra prostrations
4. Say “Allahu Akbar” and go down for the first prostration
5. Say “Subhana Rabbiyal A’la” three times in prostration
6. Say “Allahu Akbar” and sit up
7. Say “Allahu Akbar” and go down for the second prostration
8. Say “Subhana Rabbiyal A’la” three times in the second prostration
9. Say “Allahu Akbar” and sit up
10. Then say Salam to end the prayer (turn right saying “Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah” and then left saying the same)

Method 2: After the Final Salam

1. Complete your prayer and say both Salams
2. Then immediately do two prostrations just like in Method 1
3. After the second prostration, sit up and say Salam again

Which Method Should We Use?

Different situations call for different methods:

– If you add something extra to your prayer, do Sujud Sahwi after the Salam

– If you leave something out of your prayer, do Sujud Sahwi before the Salam

– If you are in doubt, follow what you believe is most likely correct, then do Sujud Sahwi before the Salam

Important Examples of Sujud Sahwi in Real Situations

Example 1: Forgetting the First Tashahhud

Imagine you are praying a four-rakah prayer (like Dhuhr). After the second rakah, you should sit for the first Tashahhud, but you forgot and stood up directly for the third rakah.

What should you do?

– If you remember before you are fully standing, you should sit back down, recite the Tashahhud, and continue your prayer

– If you already stood up completely, do not go back to sitting. Continue your prayer and perform Sujud Sahwi before the Salam

Example 2: Adding an Extra Rakah

Imagine you are praying Asr (four rakahs), but you forgot and stood up for a fifth rakah.

What should you do?

– If you remember before prostrating in the extra rakah, sit down, recite the final Tashahhud, and perform Sujud Sahwi after the Salam

– If you already prostrated in the extra rakah, complete it, sit for the final Tashahhud, and perform Sujud Sahwi after the Salam

Example 3: Being Doubtful About the Number of Rakahs

Imagine you are praying and suddenly you’re not sure if you are in the third or fourth rakah.

What should you do?

– Think about what is most likely. If you cannot decide, assume the lower number (in this case, three rakahs)

– Complete your prayer based on that assumption (praying one more rakah)

– Perform Sujud Sahwi before the Salam

Wisdom Behind Sujud Sahwi

1. Mercy from Allah: Allah knows humans make mistakes and forget things. Sujud Sahwi is a way to fix these mistakes instead of having to restart the entire prayer.
2. Humility: The extra prostrations remind us to be humble before Allah and acknowledge our mistakes.
3. Focus: Sujud Sahwi teaches us to be more focused during prayer and pay better attention to what we are doing.
4. Defeating Shaytan (Satan): Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught that Shaytan tries to confuse us during prayer. Sujud Sahwi is like defeating Shaytan when he tries to ruin our prayer.

Evidence from Hadith (Sayings of Prophet Muhammad)

Hadith 1:

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “When the call for prayer is made, Shaytan runs away breaking wind so that he does not hear the call. When the call is finished, he comes back. When the Iqamah is announced, he turns his back and runs away. When it is finished, he comes back to distract the person, saying: ‘Remember this and remember that,’ things that the person did not recall, until the person does not know how many rakahs he has prayed.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Hadith 2:

Abdullah ibn Buhainah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) led us in prayer and stood up after the first two rakahs without sitting (for Tashahhud). The people stood up with him. When he finished the prayer and we were waiting for him to say the Salam, he said ‘Allahu Akbar’ while sitting, performed two prostrations before the Salam, and then said the Salam.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Common Questions About Sujud Sahwi

 Q1: What if I forget to perform Sujud Sahwi?

A: If you remember soon after finishing the prayer, you should do it right away. If a long time has passed, then your prayer is still valid but it’s best to be careful in future prayers.

Q2: What if I make a mistake in Sujud Sahwi itself?

A: You don’t need to do another Sujud Sahwi for mistakes made during Sujud Sahwi.

Q3: What if I’m praying behind an Imam (prayer leader) who makes a mistake?

A: Follow the Imam. If the Imam performs Sujud Sahwi, you should do it with him. If he makes a mistake but doesn’t perform Sujud Sahwi, you don’t need to do it on your own.

Q4: What if I realize I missed a whole obligatory (fard) part of the prayer?

A: Sujud Sahwi doesn’t fix missing obligatory parts of prayer, like missing a rakah or forgetting to recite Surah Al-Fatiha. For such cases, you must repeat the missed part and then continue your prayer.

Practical Tips to Avoid Needing Sujud Sahwi

1. Focus completely on your prayer, thinking about the meaning of what you are saying
2. Recite quietly to yourself to keep track of what you’re doing
3. Count rakahs using your fingers if that helps you remember
4. Slow down your prayer rather than rushing through it
5. Practice regular prayers to build the habit and reduce mistakes

Summary

Sujud Sahwi is a beautiful part of Islam that shows Allah’s mercy. It allows us to fix our prayers when we make honest mistakes due to forgetfulness. The main points to remember are:

1. Sujud Sahwi is two extra prostrations done either before or after the Salam
2. It is needed when we add something extra, leave something out, or are in doubt during prayer
3. Different mistakes require different methods (before or after Salam)
4. The purpose is to fix our prayer and defeat Shaytan’s attempts to distract us

By learning about Sujud Sahwi, we become more mindful in our prayers and understand the flexibility and mercy in Islamic worship.