The recitation in the First Tashahhud

The recitation in the First Tashahhud

What should be recited when sitting for the first tashahhud?

I wonder if you could enlighten how to say the tashahhud in the solat that contains three and four rak`at. I mean do I have to say the whole tashahhud in the second rak’ah? Please offer the evidences from the Quran and Sunnah.

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

All the praise and thanks is due to Allāh. Peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Firstly: There is a different of views by the scholars. The first tashahhud in a three or four rak’ah solat is obligatory part of solat which is considered to be the more correct of the two scholarly views.

There are various versions of the tashahhud, some of which commonly recited are as follows:

The tashahhud of Ibn 'Abbās (radiallāhu`anhu): "The Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) used to teach us the tashahhud the way he taught us [Surahs of] the Qur'an; he used to say,

“At-tahiyyatul mubaraka tus-salawātut-tayyibātu lillah. As-salāmu ‘alayka ayyuha’n-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allahi wa barakātuhu. As-salāmu ‘alayna wa ‘alā ‘ibadillāh is-sālihīn. Ash-hadu an lā ilāha ill-Allāh wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasūlullah [in one narration: ‘abduhu wa rasūluh]”

(All compliments, blessed words, prayers, pure words are due to Allāh. Peace be on you, O Prophet, and also the mercy of Allāh and His blessings. Peace be on us and on the righteous slaves of Allah. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped except Allāh, and [I bear witness] that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh (in one narration: ... is His slave and messenger).)

[Muslim, Abu ‘Awanah, Shafi’ie and Nasa’ie]

Ibn Mas’ūd (radiallāhu`anhu) recited the tashahhud as follows:

“At-tahiyyātu Lillāhi wa’s-salawātu wa’t-tayyibāt, as-salāmu ‘alayka ayyuha’n-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allāhi wa barakātuhu. As-salāmu ‘alayna wa ‘alā ‘ibadillāh is-sālihīn. Ash-hadu an lāilāha ill-Allāh wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasūluh”

(All compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allāh. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allāh and His blessings. Peace be upon us, and on the righteous slaves of Allāh. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allāh, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).

[Narrated by al-Bukhari (6265) and Muslim (402)]

Secondly: The scholars differed as to whether it is prescribed to send blessings on the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) after reciting the first tashahhud.

There are two views:

1. That blessings should be sent on the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam).This is the view of al-Shafi’e (rahimallāh) and he said that one who does not do it should do the sujud al-sahwi.

The view that it is prescribed was also favoured by Ibn Hazam in al-Muhalla (2/302).

Muslim recorded in his Sahih under ‘The Book on Blessings on the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wa sallam) after Tashahhud’ that Abdullāh bin Zaid, one who was shown the adzān (the call for prayer) in a dream, narrated it on the authority of Abu Mas`ud Al-Ansari (radiallāhu‘anhu) said: "We came to the Messenger of Allāh and we were with Sa`ad bin `Ubadah. Bashir bin Sa`ad said to him, `Allāh has commanded us to send Salāh upon you, O Messenger of Allāh. How can we send Salāh upon you' The Messenger of Allāh remained quiet for so long that we wished that he had not asked him, then the Messenger of Allāh said [ For blessing me]:

«قُولُوا: اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي الْعَالَمِينَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ ,وَالسَّلَامُ كَمَا قَدْ عَلِمْتُم»

“Say: “Allāhumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala āli Muhammad kamā sallaita ‘ala āli Ibrāhīm; Wa bārik ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala āli Muhammad kama bārakta ‘ala āli Ibrāhīm fil-‘ālamīn; Innaka Hamīdun Majīd”

(O Allāh! Send Prayers upon Muhammad and the members of his household as You Sent Prayers upon the members of Ibrahim's household; And Send Blessings to Muhammad and the members of his household as You  granted Blessings upon the members of the household of Ibrahim, among all the nations’ Verily You are Most Praiseworthy, Full of Glory)”,

“And the Salutation [i.e ‘As-salāmu ‘alaika ayyuhan-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allāhi wa barakātuh’] as you about knows it.”

[Muslim (803): Book on Blessings on the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wa sallam) after Tashahhud; this narration uses the phrase: ‘ala āli Ibrāhīm, fil-‘ālamīn; Innaka Hamīdun Majīd”]); this narration is Linguistically sound; more comprehensive] This was also recorded by Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Jarir. At-Tirmidhi said, "It is Hasan Sahih.''

Al-Shafi’e said: Tashahhud and blessings on the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) in the first tashahhud of every solat except Fajr are two tashahhuds, first and second. If a person omits the first tashahhud and sending blessings on the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) in the first tashahhud by mistake, he does not have to repeat (the solāt) but he has to do the sujud al-sahwi for forgetting it.

[Al-Umm (1/228)]

The first tashahhud and salawāt as recited by al-Shafi’es:

“At-tahiyyatul mubaraka tus-salawātut-tayyibātu lillah. As-salāmu ‘alayka ayyuha’n-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allahi wa barakātuhu. As-salāmu ‘alayna wa ‘alā ‘ibadillāh is-sālihīn. Ash-hadu an lā ilāha ill-Allāh wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasūlullah [in one narration: ‘abduhu wa rasūluh]; Allāhumma Salli`ala Muhammad.”

Forgotten the first tashahhud

Al-Mughirah bin Shu‘bah who reported said:

The Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: “If the Imām [mistakenly] stands up after the second rak‘ah, but realized that he has to sit, [just] before he straightens himself (upright), then he should sit down; and if he straightened upright, he should not sit and [to] make two prostrations of forgetfulness”

[Abu Dawud, No. 1036; Silsilah Al-Sahihah, 321]

In short, the hadith could be deduced if someone stands up for the third rak‘ah, forgetting the [first] tashahhud, he is in one of the three situations:

• He remembers it before standing up straight: then he should return to tashahhud.

• He remembers after I’tidal, and before starting the recitation of Al-Fātihah: then it is better for him not to sit, if he sits his solat will be correct.

• He remembers it after starting the recitation of al-Fātihah: then he is not allowed to return to tashahhud. [He is s to perform the sujud al-sahwi at the end of the solat].

[Al-Mughni 1/677]

2. That he should only recite the tashahhud as far as the Shahādatayn, and not add the blessings on the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam).

This is the view of the majority of fuqaha’, and was favoured by contemporary scholars Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymīn (may Allāh have mercy on him).

The majority of fuqaha’ are of the view that the worshipper should not add blessings on the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) to the tashahhud in the first tashahhud. This is the view of al-Nakha’ie, al-Thawri and Ishaq.

The Shafi’es are of the view that it is mustahabb to recite the blessings on the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam), and this is the view of al-Sha’bi.

But as for the final tashahhud of his solat, there is no difference of opinion among the fuqaha’ that it is prescribed to send blessings on the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) after the tashahhud.

[Al-Mawsū’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (12/39)]

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymīn (rahimallāh) said: It is not mustahabb to send blessings on the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam)  in the first tashahhud; this is what may be understood from the Sunnah, because the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) taught Ibn Mas’ud and Ibn ‘Abbās this tashahhud only, and Ibn Mas’ūd said: We used to say before the tashahhud was enjoined on us, and he mentioned the first tashahhud only, and did not mention blessings on the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) in the first tashahhud. If it was Sunnah then the Messenger (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) would have taught it to them in the tashahhud.

As for the hadith when sahābah ask the prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) saying “O Messenger of Allāh, we know how to send salaam upon you, but how should we send blessings upon you when we send blessings upon you in our prayer?” it was a question about how to do it, and it does not mention when to do it. There is a difference between specifying when and specifying how.

In the Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah it says that the Messenger (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) used to recite the tashahhud in this sitting but he did not say duā’. Despite that, if someone sends blessings on the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) in the first tashahhud, we would not denounce him, but if he asked us which is better, we would say that limiting it to the tashahhud only is better, but if he sends blessings on the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam), he should not be told not to do that, because it is additional goodness and there is a possibility that it is correct, even though the view that sending blessings on the Prophet at that point in the solāt is weak.

[al-Sharh al-Mumti’ (3/225)]

And Allah Almighty Knows best.

[Excerpted with modification from Fatwa No: 89871 Islam QA]

Please See : The First Tashahhud The Solāh of the Prophet

If the Imam Forgets Pillars of the Solat

Imām had forgotten to sujūd then he repeated the rak’ah, but some of ma’mum didn’t follow suit.

The imam led us in 'Isya Solāt, but he was not the official imam. In the last rak’ah he did not performed the second sujud, and he said the Salam without anyone noticing it or reminding him. A few minutes later, one of the worshippers came and told him about that, so he got up straight away and said, “We will repeat the last rak’ah in order to do the prostration that was forgotten.”Is this correct? What is the ruling on those who did not do the second sujud with them?

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;
All the Praise is to Allāh a. Peace and Blessings be upon  His Messenger.

Firstly: Obligation of Reminding the Imām during Solāt

If the Imam forgets something during the Solāt, then the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) commanded the members of the congregation to remind him. Ibn Mas'ud reported the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:

“...I am only human like you, and I forget as you forget, so if I forget then remind me...”

[Narrated by Muslim, 1168; al- Bukhari, 401]

The Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) set the example of correcting the imām when his recitation becomes mixed up, when once "he (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) prayed, reciting loudly, and his recitation became mixed up, so when he finished, he (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) said to Ubayy ibn Ka'ab : Did you pray with us? He replied, 'Yes.' He (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) said, So what prevented you [from correcting me]? "

[Abu Dawud, Ibn Hibban, Tabarani, Ibn `Asakir (2/296/2) & Diya' in al-Mukhtarah with a sahih isnad]

This indicates that correcting the imam is something that is essential.

Thus the congregation in the masjid should have said tasbīh (“Subhān Allāh”) so that the imām would notice and would do the second sujud.

Secondly: If one forgets pillars or essential parts of the Solāt.

Both the first and second sujud are pillars or essential parts of the Solāt, without which the Solāt is not valid. Whoever deliberately omits one or both of them has sinned, and his Solāt is invalid.

And whoever forgotten one or both of it has to perform it when he remember, regardless he is leading a congregation, following an imam or performing Solāt on his own. If he does not do that, his Solāt is deemed invalid.

Shaikh Ibn Salih Al-‘Uthaymeen (rahimahullah) said: The pillars or essential parts of the Solāt are obligatory and more important than the wajib (obligatory parts of Solāt), but they differ from them in that the pillars are not waived if one forgets or omitted it. Whoever forgets a pillar, his Solāt is not valid. One should complete what was omitted, and perform the Sujud al-Sahwi when he realized and reminded about it.

Whilst the wajib parts of the Solāt are waived but should be made up for by performing Sujud Al-Sahwi.

[Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 3/315]

The pillars cannot be made up for by the Sujūd al-Sahwi alone, rather one should completed what was omitted, and perform the Sujud al-Sahwi when he realized and reminded about it.

The evidence for it is the sahih hadith of Abu Hurayrah (radiallāhu`anhu) who reported, “When the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) said the Salām after two rak’ahs in one of the two afternoon solāt, either Zuhur or ‘Asar, and they told him about that, he (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) did the rest of the prayer, then he said the Salām, then he prostrated twice (sujūd al-Sahwi) after saying the Salām”

[Narrated by al-Bukhari, 482; Muslim, 573]

The Sunnah is that the pillars of Solāt cannot be waived by doing the Sujūd al-Sahwi; it is done after the omitted pillar is replaced.

[Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 3/323]

In the case to what your imām had done that by repeating the final rak’ah in full after being reminded, this is in accordance with one of the two scholarly opinions on this subject, which is the one who omits a pillar or essential part of the final rak’ah and does not realize it until after saying the taslim should do the rak’ah in full.

This is also the view of Imam Ahmad (rahimallāh).

[See al-Mughni, 1/658].

Forgotten the final sujūd

Shaikh Ibn Baaz (rahimallāh), the Hanbalis’ scholar of Fiqh who was asked about an imām who forgot the final prostration in ‘Asar Solāt. He stood up and offered a complete rak’ah, then he said the tashahhud and the taslīm, then he did the Sujūd al-Sahwi.

He said: This is what is prescribed; if the imām forgot final prostration and said the taslīm, and then he remembered it or it was pointed out to him, he should stand up and do a full rak’ah, then say the Salām, and then do the sujūd al-Sahwi after saying the Salām. This is more appropriate. The same ruling applies to one who is performing Solāt alone. But if he does the sujūd al-Sahwi before the Salām, there is nothing wrong with that, but it is preferable after the Salām.

[Majmu’ Fatāwa Ibn Baaz, 11/277]

Imam al-Shāfi’e (rahimallāh) stated if a person or the imām had forgotten to perform the final sujud and said salām, they need not have to perform the rak'ah in full, rather they should perform the pillar that they had forgotten or omitted [i.e the final sujud] and whatever comes after it [and followed by sujūd al-Sahwi at the end of the Solāt].

[See al-Majmu’, 4/33]

If a person omitted inadvertently the pillars, one should completed what was omitted, and perform the Sujud al-Sahwi when he realized or reminded about it. The Solāt would then be considered valid. Otherwise one has to repeat the Solāt.

The sahih hadith of Abu Hurayrah (radiallāhu`anhu) who reported, “When the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) said the Salam after two rak’ahs in one of the two afternoon prayers, either Zuhur or ‘Asar, and they told him about that, he (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) did the rest of the prayer, then he said the Salam, then he prostrated twice (sujud al-sahwi) after saying the Salam”

[Narrated by al-Bukhāri, 482; Muslim, 573]

And Allāh Almighty knows best.

[Adapted from Fatwa No: 47627 Islam QA]

Forgotten the First Tashahhud in the Solat

A person joined the solat late and forgot the first tashahhud

I caught up with the last rak'ah of ‘Asar prayer, and I stood up to offer the second rak’ah, and I did not sit for the tashahhud. I thought that I had caught up with the third rak’ah in congregation, then when I sat for the second tashahhud I realized, and I did the prostration of forgetfulness, then I said the Salam. Is my prayer valid?

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful,
All the praise and thanks is due to Allah, Subhanahu wata`ala. Peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

There are two issues related to this inquiry.

1. Should the one who joined the solah late and do sujud al-sahwi if he forgets something in his prayer?

Al-Bahuti (rahimahullah) said:

“He (i.e., the one who joined the prayer late) should also do the sujud al-sahwi in the following situations:

• He should sujud al-sahwi with regard to the mistaken part of the solah that he did with his imam, even if he left the imam after that or a reason.

• The one who joined the prayer late should also do the sujud al-sahwi if he forgets to do any the part of the solah that he offers alone, which is what he makes up after the imam has said the salam, even if he prostrated with him because of his (the imam’s) mistake, because now he is praying alone.”

[Sharh Muntaha al-Iradat (1/232)]

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (rahimahullah) said:

“As for the one, who joined the solah late, he should do the sujud al-sahwi and either he did a mistake with his imam, or if he made a mistake in the part of the solah that he offers alone after the imam has completed it”

[Fatawa Ibn Baaz, 11/268]

“If a person forgets the obligatory part of solah whilst making up the part of the solah that he missed, or he is not sure about his solah, then he should act on the basis of what is certain – which is the lower number – and complete his prayer, then do the sujud al-sahwi”

[Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Da’imah (7/151)]

2. When should the sujud al-sahwi be done, before the Salam or after it?

The Sunnah is that if a person forgets the first tashahhud, he should do the prostration of forgetfulness before the taslim.

It was narrated that ‘Abdallah Ibn Buhaynah (radiallahu `anhu) said:

“The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) led us in praying two rak'ahs of prayer, then he stood up and did not sit, and the people stood up with him. When he had finished praying and we were waiting for his taslim, he said takbir and prostrated twice whilst he was sitting, before the taslim, then he said the taslim”

[Al-Bukhari (1224) and Muslim (570)]

This hadith indicates that the prayer of one who forgets the first tashahhud is valid, and that he should do the prostration of forgetfulness before saying the taslim at the end of the prayer.

It should be noted that the Hanbalis and Hanafis views the First Tashahhud is an obligatory (Wajib) part of the Solat. Whilst the Shafi’ies it is a Sunnah Ab'adh (almost equivalent to wajib. If one missed the wajib (or Sunnah Ab’adh part of solah he is has to make the prostrations of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahwi). But they considered The Final Tashahhud is a Pillar of the Solat.

Shaikh ibn ‘Uthaymeen (rahimahullah) who said:

“Thus, it becomes clear that this should be done before the Salam if you have omitted one of the obligatory parts of the prayer or if you are not sure how many rak’ahs you have done, and neither of the two choices seems more likely to be the case. And it should be done after the Salam if you have added something extra to the solah or you are not certain but one of the two choices seems more likely to be the case”

[See Majmu’ Fatawa al-Shaykh, 14/14-16]

Based on this, you did well when you did the prostration of forgetfulness before the Salam, and your prayer is valid, insya Allah.

And Allah Almighty knows best.

[Excerpted with minor modification from Fatwa No: 35909, Islam QA]

Forgotten to sit for Tashahhud

If one forgets the first tashahhud

What should one do if one forgets the first tashahhud (sitting after the second rak’ah?

If one forgets the first tashahhud, stands up for the third rak‘at and recites Al-Fatihah, then according to the majority of scholars, he should not return back to the sitting position. If he does return knowing that his return is not permissible, his prayer will be nullified because he has already started another obligatory act.

The first tashahhud is obligatory part of Solāt [Hanbalis and Hanafis: Obligatory (Wajib); whilst Shafi'es : Sunnah Ab'adh (almost equivalent to wajib). Due to his missing (forgotten) the wajib (or sunnah ab'adh) part of solāt he is has to make the prostrations of forgetfulness (Sujud al-Sahwi).

The evidence is the hadith narrated by Al-Mughirah bin Shu‘bah that the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said:

If the Imām [mistakenly] stands up after the second rak‘ah, and realized that he has to sit, [just] before he straightens himself (upright), then he should sit down; and if he straightened upright, he should not sit and [to] make two prostrations of forgetfulness.

[Abu Dawud, No. 1036; Silsilah Al-Sahihah, 321]

In short, if someone stands up for the third rak‘at, forgetting the tashahhud, he is in one of the three situations:

• He remembers it before standing up straight: then he should return to tashahhud.
• He remembers after standing up straight, and before starting the recitation of Al-Fātihah: then it is better for him not to sit, but if he sits his prayer will be correct.
• He remembers it after starting the recitation of Al-Fātihah: then he is not allowed to return to tashahhud. [He is has to make the prostrations of forgetfulness at the end of the Solāt].

These three cases have been deduced from the above Hadith.

[Al-Mughni 1/677; ‘What Should You Do in the Following Situations?’]

[Excerpted with minor modification from Fatwa No: 50 Islam QA]

Reasons for doing Sujud al-Sahwi

Reasons for doing Sujud al-Sahwi

When is it prescribed for a worshipper to do the prostration of forgetfulness?

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. There is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam, is His Messenger.

By the Allāh’s mercy to His slaves, and as one of the beauties of Islam, Allāh has prescribed that His slaves may make up for shortcomings and mistakes that they make in their worship and that cannot be avoid completely, that is by performing supererogatory (nāfil) acts of worship, praying for forgiveness.

One of the things that Allāh has prescribed for His slaves to make up for shortcomings that may occur in their solat is Sujud al-Sahwi (Prostration of Forgetfulness), but it is only prescribed to make up for certain things; it does not make up for everything nor is it prescribed for everything.

The Sujud al-Sahwi in solāt is generally prescribed for three reasons:

1- Doing something extra

2-Omitting something

3-Being uncertain

In the case of doing something extra.

The example, doing an extra bow (rukū’), prostration (sujūd), standing or sitting.

Omitting something: such as omitting an essential part of the solat, or omitting one of the obligatory parts of the prayer.

Being uncertain: such as when a person is not sure how many rak’ahs he has prayed, whether it was three or four, for example.

In the case of doing something extra, if a person adds something to his prayer – bowing, prostrating, standing or sitting – deliberately, then his prayer becomes invalid, because when he added it, that means that he did not do the prayer in the manner ordained by Allāh and His Messenger (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam). The Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever does an action that is not part of this matter of ours (i.e., Islam), will have it rejected.” [Narrated by Muslim, 1718]

But if he did that extra thing by mistake, then his prayer is not invalidated, but he should do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the Salam. The evidence for that is the ahadīth:

Abu Hurayrah (radiallāhu`anhu) narrated, who said that when the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said the salām after two rak’ahs in one of the two afternoon prayers, either Zuhur or ‘Asar, and they told him about that, he (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) did the rest of the prayer, then he said the salām, then he prostrated twice (the prostration of forgetfulness) after saying the salām.

[Narrated by al-Bukhāri, 482; Muslim, 573].

Secondly, Ibn Mas’ūd (radiallāhu`anhu) narrated that the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) led them in praying Zuhur and he prayed five rak’ahs. When Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) had finished it was said to him: “Has something been added to the prayer?”  He (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: “Why are you asking that?”  They said: “You prayed five (rak’ahs).” So he (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) turned towards the qiblah and prostrated twice.

[Narrated by al-Bukhāri, 4040; Muslim, 572].

In the case of omitting something.

If a person omits one of the essential parts of the prayer, one of the following two scenarios must apply:

·     Either he remembers it before he reaches the same point in the following rak’ah, so he has to go back and do that essential part of the prayer and whatever came after it,

·   Or he does not remember it until he reaches the same point in the following rak’ah, in which case the following rak’ah takes the place of the one in which he omitted that essential part, and he should make up the invalid rak’ah.

In either of these two cases, he should do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the Salam.

For example: a man stood up after doing the first prostration of the first rak’ah and did not sit or do the second prostration. When he started to recite Qur’aan he remembers that he had not done the second prostration or sat between the two prostrations. In that case he should go back and sit as between the two prostrations, then prostrate, then stand up and do whatever is left of his prayer, and do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the Salam.

An example of one who did not remember until after he reached the same point in the following rak’ah is a man who stood up following the first prostration in the first rak’ah and did not do the second prostration or sit between the two prostrations, but he did not remember that until he sat between the two prostrations in the second rak’ah. In this case he should make the second rak’ah the first rak’ah, and add another rak’ah to his prayer, then say the Salam then do the prostration of forgetfulness.

Omitting an obligatory part of the prayer – such as if he omits an obligatory part and moves on to the next part of the prayer. For example, he forgets to say Subhaan Rabbiy al-A’la (Glory be to my Lord Most High) and he does not remember until he has got up from prostrating. In this case he has omitted an obligatory part of the prayer by mistake, so he should carry on with his prayer then do the prostration of forgetfulness before saying the salām, because when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) omitted the first tashahhud he carried on with his prayer and did not go back and repeat anything, then he did the prostration of forgetfulness before saying the salām.

In the case of being uncertain.

If a person is not sure if he has done something extra or omitted something, e.g., he is not sure whether he has prayed three rak’ahs or four, one of the following two scenarios must apply:

·     Either he thinks that one or the other is more likely to be case, whether it is doing more or omitting something, in which case he should proceed on the basis of what he thinks is more likely to be the case, complete his prayer accordingly, then do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the salām;

·    Or neither appears more likely to be the case, so he should proceed on the basis of what is certain, namely the lesser amount, and complete his prayer accordingly, then do the prostration of forgetfulness before saying the Salam.

For example: a man prays Zuhur then he is not sure whether he is praying the third or fourth rak’ah, but he thinks it more likely that it is the third. So he should pray another rak’ah, then say the Salam, then do the prostration of forgetfulness.

An example of when neither seems to him more likely to be the case is when a man is praying Zuhur and is not sure whether he is in the third rak’ah or the fourth, and neither seems to him more likely to be the case. In that case he should proceed on the basis of what are certain, which is the lesser amount. So he should regard it as the third rak’ah, then do another rak’ah and do the prostration of forgetfulness before saying the Salam. Thus it becomes clear that this should be done before the Salam if you have omitted one of the obligatory parts of the prayer or if you are not sure how many rak’ahs you have done, and neither of the two choices seems more likely to be the case. And it should be done after the Salam if you have added something extra to the prayer or you are not certain but one of the two choices seems more likely to be the case.

[See Majmū’ Fatāwa al-Shaykh, 14/14-16]

What the Tasbih in Sujūd al-Sahwi?

There is no specific mention of how the tasbih should be said in Sujūd al-Sahwi. The Tasbih in Sujūd al-sahwi is the same as in the Sujūd of the solah. There are variations of adhkār but Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) used to recite one of the following.

“Subhāna rabbiy al an’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]

Or,

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)]

Or, other tasbihah which are reported as being Sunnah to say in the sujūd.

It is said in Al-Sunan wal-Mubtada’at: “There is no report that the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi Wa Sallam) said any specific words in Sujūd al-Sahwi; the adhkar to mention in Sujūd al-Sahwi are the same as those to be recited in the Sujūd of prayer…”

And Allāh Knows Best.

[Via Islam Q&A (12527)]