Should I Perform the Prostration of Recital Even If I Was Not in a State of Purity?

Answered by Shaykh Umer Mian

Question: Assalam alaykum,

When at home my daughter recites Qur’an while I do housework. I do not wear hijab nor do I have wudu when this occurs. She lets me know when she recites verses of prostration but are they valid in these conditions? If she recites while I am driving should I intend for a prostration?

Answer: Wa alaikum as-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

Having wudu, covering one’s nakedness (e.g. wearing hijab for women), facing the Qiblah, etc. are conditions for the performance of the prostration of recital, but these things do not affect whether the prostration becomes obligatory upon a person.

The prostration of recital becomes obligatory upon reciting (i.e. oneself) or hearing (i.e. from others) a verse of prostration (which are 14 specific verses of the Qur’an), regardless whether or not the reciter/hearer is on a state of wudu or wearing hijab. However, note that prostration of recital is not obligatory on women experiencing hayd (menses) or nifaas (post-natal bleeding). If such women hear a verse of prostration, they do not have perform the prostration now, nor do they have to make it up at any time in the future.

It is recommended to perform the prostration immediately (which, of course, would require making wudu, putting on the hijab, facing the Qiblah, etc.), and somewhat disliked to delay without excuse. If one hears a verse of prostration in a situation in which it is difficult or impossible to perform a prostration (e.g. while riding in a car, bus, plane, etc.), one can delay the prostration to another time.

Also, note that it’s preferred to recite quietly if one feels that people nearby are not ready to perform the prostration.

Finally, note that prostrations of recital can be performed at any time of the day or night, except during the makruh (prohibitively disliked) prayer times. These makruh times are three:
1) at sunrise (i.e. from the start of sunrise until the sun rises up about spear’s length above the horizon, which is about 15-20 minutes from the start of sunrise),
2) at mid-day (i.e. about 5-10 minutes before Dhuhr time comes in), and
3) at sunset (i.e. when the sun starts to dim and gets close to sunset, which is about 15-20 before sunset, until the sun completely sets).
Performing the prostration of recital during these times would be makruh (prohibitively disliked). If one recites or hears a verse of prostration during these times, one should delay the prostration until after the time has passed.

The following passages below are from Maraqi al-Falah, a relied-upon text of Hanafi jurisprudence of worship.

( وهو ) أي سجود التلاوة ( واجب على التراخي ) عند محمد ورواية عن الإمام وهو المختار ( و ) لكن ( كره تأخيره ) السجود عن وقت التلاوة في الأصح إذا لم يكن مكروها لأنه بطول الزمان قد ينساها فيكره تأخيرها ( تنزيها )
…
( ويجب ) السجود ( على من تلا آية )
…
( ويجب السجود على من سمع ) التلاوة العربية ( وإن لم يقصد السماع ) فهم أو لم يفهم مروي عن أكابر الصحابة ( إلا ) أنه استثنى ( الحائض و النفساء ) فلا تجب عليهما بتلاوتهما و سماعهما شيئا
…
( وندب إخفاؤها ) يعني استحب المشايخ إخفاؤها ( من غير متأهب لها ) شفقة على السامعين إن لم يتهيئوا لها

[ مراقي الفلاح، كتاب الصلاة، باب سجود التلاوة، بتصرف ]

( ثلاثة أوقات لا يصح فيها شيء من الفرائض والواجبات التي لزمت في الذمة قبل دخولها ) أي الأوقات المكروهة
– 1 – أولها ( عند طلوع الشمس إلى أن ترتفع ) وتبيض قدر رمح أو رمحين
– 2 – ( و ) الثاني ( عند استوائها ) في بطن السماء ( إلى أن تزول ) أي تميل إلى جهة الغرب
– 3 – ( و ) الثالث ( عند اصفرارها ) وضعفها حتى تقدر العين على مقابلتها ( إلى أن تغرب )
…
( ويصح أداء ما وجب فيها ) أي الأوقات الثلاثة لكن ( مع الكراهة ) في ظاهر الرواية ( كجنازة حضرت وسجدة آية تليت فيها )

[ مراقي الفلاح، كتاب الصلاة، فصل في الأوقات المكروهة، بتصرف ]

Wassalam.
Umer Mian