Prostration of forgetfulness and Quran's recitation

 Sujūd al-Sahwi and Sujūd al-Tilāwah

What should the worshipper say when he prostrates for forgetfulness in prayer (Sujūd Al-Sahwi)? And what should he say when he performs a prostration as required in certain verses of the Qur’ān?

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;

All the praise and Thanks are due to Allāh, The Lord of the al-ā’lamīn. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam, is His Messenger.

When performing The Prostration of forgetfulness (Sujūd Al-Sahwi), Qurān's recitation (Sujūd At-Tilāwah) in the solāh one may say the same adhkār as you say when you prostrate in Solāh.

There are variations of adhkār but Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) used to recite one of the following.

“Subhāna rabbiy al a’lāwa bihamdih”
(Glory be to my Lord Most High, and He be Praised), [three times]


[Abu Dawud, Daraqutni, Ahmad, Tabarāni ; Baihaqi: Sahih]

Or

“Subhāna rabbiy al-a’lā”
(Glory is to my Lord Most High);

[Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Ibn Mājah, Daraqutni]

Or

“Allāhumma laka sajadtu, wabika āmantu, wa laka aslamtu, [waantarabbi], sajadawajhiya lillazihu wasowarahu,[faahsanuwasowarahu], wasyaqqan sam’ahu wabasorahu, fatabarakallāhhu ahsanulkhaliqīn”

(O Allāh! For you I have prostrated; in You I have believed; to You I have submitted; [You are my Lord;] my face has prostrated for the One Who created it and shaped it, [shaped it excellently], then brought forth its hearing and vision: [so] Blessed be Allāh, the Best of creators)

[Muslim, Abu `Awānah, Tahawi & Daraqutni]

It is obligatory is to say that once, and the least required in order to do it perfectly is to say it three times.

It is mustahabb to make duā’ when prostrating, reciting whatever you can of the duā’s prescribed in syari’ah, because Ibn `Abbās (radiallāh`anhu) reported the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) said:

“When bowing glorify your Lord, and when prostrating strive in making duā’, for then you are more likely to receive an answer.” [Muslim]

And Abu Hurairah (radiallāh`anhu) reported the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) said: “The closest that a person can be to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so say a lot of duā’.”

[Muslim, 482]

Aishah (radiallāh`anha) also reported the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) often used to say when ruku’ and sujūd:

“Subhānaka Allāhumma Rabbana wa bi hamdika, Allāhummaghfir li”
(Glory be to Thee, O Allāh, our Lord, and praise be to Thee, O Allāh, forgive me),

Thus, complying with the (command in) the Qur'an.

[Al-Bukhari; Muslim (0981)]

“Subūhun quddūs, Rabb ul-maā’ikatu wal-rūh”
(Glorified, Holy, Lord of the angels and the Spirit [i.e., Jibreel]

[Muslim (0987)]

[Al-Lajnah al-Dā’imah li’l-Buhuth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta’, 6/443]

And Allāh Knows Best.

[Excerpted with modification from Fatwa No: 34689 Islam QA]