Chapter Ten: The Prostration of Forgetfulness

سُجُودُ السَّهْوِ

Sujud al-Sahw — Correcting Mistakes in Prayer

Sujud al-Sahw (the prostration of forgetfulness) is a means by which the worshipper corrects an unintentional error made during the prayer — such as adding an extra rak'at, omitting a wājib act, or forgetting how many rak'ats one has performed. It consists of two prostrations performed at the end of the prayer. According to the Hanafi school, the recommended method is to give one salām to the right, then prostrate twice, sit, recite the full tashahhud and durūd, and conclude with both salāms. Other schools (Shāfiʻī, Mālikī, Hanbali) generally perform the sujud before the salām.

عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: صَلَّى بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَمْسًا فَلَمَّا انْفَتَلَ تَوَشْوَشَ الْقَوْمُ بَيْنَهُمْ، فَقَالَ: مَا شَأْنُكُمْ؟ قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَلْ زِيدَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ؟ قَالَ: لَا. قَالُوا: فَإِنَّكَ صَلَّيْتَ خَمْسًا. فَثَنَى رِجْلَيْهِ وَاسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ

On the authority of Ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him): 'The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, led us in five rak'ats [for Zuhr]. When he turned [after the salam], the people began whispering among themselves. He said: "What is the matter?" They said: "O Messenger of Allah, has the prayer been extended?" He said: "No." They said: "But you have prayed five rak'ats." So he turned his legs [to sit facing the qiblah] and performed two prostrations.' (Agreed upon: Bukhari and Muslim)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِحْدَى صَلَاتَيِ الْعَشِيِّ فَسَلَّمَ مِنَ اثْنَتَيْنِ، فَقَامَ ذُو الْيَدَيْنِ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَقُصِرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ أَمْ نَسِيتَ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: لَمْ تَقْصُرِ الصَّلَاةُ وَلَمْ أَنْسَ. قَالَ: بَلَى وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَقَدْ نَسِيتَ. فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ فَسَجَدَ مِثْلَ سُجُودِهِ أَوْ أَطْوَلَ، ثُمَّ رَفَعَ

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): 'The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, prayed one of the two evening prayers [Zuhr or Asr] and gave the salam after two rak'ats. Dhu al-Yadayn stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, has the prayer been shortened, or have you forgotten?" The Messenger of Allah replied: "The prayer has not been shortened and I did not forget." He [Dhu al-Yadayn] said: "Rather, by Allah, O Messenger of Allah, you have indeed forgotten." So [the Prophet] prayed two more rak'ats, then gave the salam, then said Allahu Akbar and prostrated like his normal prostration — or longer — then rose.' (Agreed upon: Bukhari and Muslim)

These hadiths establish that the Sujud al-Sahw is performed when an error is made in the prayer, and that the Prophet himself performed it — demonstrating that making mistakes in prayer is not a mark of deficiency in character, and that Islam has provided a merciful remedy for such forgetfulness.