Reading of Sujud Sahwi, Procedures, Reasons, Evidence, and its Legal Status

Prostrating sahwi is a form of worship in Islam. The sahwi prostration is performed if there is a movement that is forgotten in the prayer rakat. The word sahwi is a loan word from Arabic which means forgetful or negligent.

According to fiqh experts, sahwi prostration is a prostration that is done at the end of the prayer or after it because there is a lack, either by abandoning what is commanded or doing what is prohibited without meaning to. For those of you who want to do sahwi prostration but don’t know how. So you can see the following explanation.

How to read Sujud Sahwi?

Prostration of Sahwi reading

The following is the reading of prostration for sahwi and its meaning as recommended by several scholars.

Sujud Sahwi reading: Subhana man laa yanaamu wa laa yas-huw.

Meaning: Glory be to the One who cannot sleep nor forget.

However, the above reading actually has no evidence in the Al-Quran or Hadith. So, several other scholars also said to read the prostration reading as usual when prostrating for sahwi, namely, Subhana rabbiyal a’la.

Procedures for Prostrating Sahwi

How to perform sahwi prostration can be done according to the guidance of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. It is explained in the hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim which reads, After Rasulullah SAW completed his prayer, he again prostrated twice. At that time he said takbir every time he was about to prostrate in a sitting position. He performed prostration before the greeting. (HR. Bukhari and Muslim).

From the above hadith it can be concluded that the procedure for prostration for sahwi is as follows:

• Perform the sahwi prostration the same as the normal prayer prostration.
• Say takbir first every time you go down to prostrate.
• Do this twice, separated by sitting for a moment.
• After performing the sahwi prostration twice, continue with the greeting to end the prayer.

Reasons for Performing Sahwi Prostration

There are several reasons why it is sunnah for you to perform sahwi prostration.

Firstly, if an imam or person praying alone does not perform one of the sunnahs of the prayer, such as bowing or initial tasyahud. But if someone does not do one of the sunnahs, such as reading a letter after Al Fatihah or something like that, then there is no need to do prostration for sahwi, either because they forgot or intentionally.

Second, if there is doubt regarding the number of rak’ahs he has performed, then he must convince himself and continue his prayer, then before the greeting he should perform prostration for sahwi, because there is a possibility that the last rak’ah will be an additional rak’ah. But if there are people who tell him more than the number of tawatur, then he must believe their testimony.

Third, if someone does something because they forgot, and that something invalidates the prayer if it is done intentionally. For example, lingering for a long time when performing a short rukun, such as when i’tidal or sitting between two prostrations.

Fourth, if someone reads the pillars of greeting other than at a specific time, as long as this does not cause the prayer to be invalid. For example, reading the Al Fatihah letter while sitting tasyahud, either the entire letter or only part of it.

Likewise, by reading sunnah greetings at other times, for example reading a surah other than Al Fatihah while bowing, then he performs the sahwi prostration before the greeting at the end of his prayer. But there is one exception, namely if one reads a letter other than Al Fatihah before reading Al Fatihah, then one does not need to prostrate.

Fifth, if in doubt, leave out certain or undetermined parts of one part of the prayer. The first example is doubt about whether part of the qunut prayer has been carried out or not, and the second example is doubt about which part of the qunut prayer has not been carried out, the prayer or part of the contents of the prayer.

Sixth, if someone makes a mistake to the imam who makes a mistake in his prayer, even though the mistake is only according to the madhhab of the congregation. For example, saying goodbye to the imam who does not perform the qunut prayer during the morning prayer, or to the imam who performs the qunut prayer before bowing.

So it is recommended to perform the prostration of sahwi after the imam says the greeting and before he himself says the greeting. 

Evidence regarding Prostration of Sahwi

Once upon a time, the Prophet Muhammad SAW forgot the number of rak’ahs when praying. After praying, he was asked by his companions, O Messenger of Allah, has there been a change in the number of rak’ahs in prayer?

Rasulullah SAW answered, I am just an ordinary human being. I can forget like you too. If I forget, remind me. If you are unsure about the number of rak’ahs of your prayer, choose the most convincing one, and finish the prayer. Then do prostration for sahwi. (HR. Bukhari & Muslim)

HR Muslim also narrated the teachings of Rasulullah SAW regarding prostration for sahwi which said, If you are in doubt about the number of rakats of prayer, then leave your doubts and take what you are sure of. Then prostrate twice before greeting.

If it turns out he prayed five rak’ahs, then his prostration has fulfilled his prayer. Then if it turns out that the prayer is indeed four rak’ahs, then the prostration is an insult to Satan.

Law of Sahwi Prostration

The law of performing sahwi prostration is sunnah. Therefore, your prayer will not be invalid if you do not perform the sahwi prostration. However, if you pray with the imam and the imam performs the prostration of sahwi, then you are obliged to follow him.