Women’s `Awra in Prayer and Rectifying Mistakes in the Prayer

Answered by Ustadha Sulma Badrudduja

Question: Assalamu alaikum,

1.When reading the Qura’an sometimes I come across parts where one should make sujud, I am a female so, do I have to cover my hair and body before I make this sajdah?

2. When praying sunnah or fard sometimes I forget to do a few things or get mixed up so please inform me what I should do when:

a. I forget to make tashahod after 2 raqa’as.
b. I make an extra tashahod between raqa’as.
c.I forget so say ‘subhanallaho ala’la’ in sujood (because I keep making duaah instead)
d. I say alfatiha and forget to recite another surah and realise I did that when I am in ruquu’a

Is my prayer still valid?

Obviously this doesn’t happen in every prayer, but somehow i get mixed up even when I am trying my best to concentrate.

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

I hope you are doing well inshaAllah.

1. The conditions for making a prostration of recital (sajda al-tilawa) are almost like the conditions for prayer. One needs to be in a state of wudu, face the qibla, and cover the `awra (nakedness). For the woman, the `awra for prayer is everything except the face, hands, and feet. [Al-Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]

2. How to rectify a prayer with mistakes or forgotten actions depends on the type of mistake. If one forgets a fard (obligatory) action, the prayer is not valid and needs to be repeated. None of the scenarios you mentioned involves leaving a fard action.

If one leaves a wajib (necessary) action forgetfully, then a prostration of forgetfulness is made at the end of the prayer and the prayer doesn’t need to be repeated. This would be cases a, b, and d that you mentioned. However, if the forgetfulness prostration is not done, then it is wajib to repeat the prayer.

If you leave a sunna, you do not need to do anything to rectify the prayer and your prayer remains valid. Case c that you mentioned is an example of this.

Please see see these answers which include important related information:

The Rulings of the Sacred Law

How to Perform the Forgetfulness Prostration

Is the Prayer Valid If You Don’t Recite the Tashahhud?

Can I Perform the Forgetfulness Prostrations in Every Prayer?

I highly recommend studying the fiqh of prayer for more about the rulings (fard, wajib, sunna, etc) of the different actions in the prayer.

May Allah increase you and us.

Wassalam,
Sulma

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani