Does the Prostration of Forgetfulness Apply to Supererogatory Prayers? (Shafi’i) (Habib Umar)

Answered by  Habib Umar bin Hafiz

Question: Assalam aleykum

Does the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud assahw) apply to supererogatory prayers?

Also, please explain what is required in the following scenarios:

1) one stands for the third cycle (rak’ah) of prayer without having recited the first tashahhud and then forgets to perform the prostration of forgetfulness;

2) One rises from prostration but is doubtful of having prostrated once or twice.

Answer: [Assalam alaykum]

Yes, the prostration of forgetfulness applies to those supererogatory prayers in which occurs an act that entails it:

1) For one who has said the closing greeting (taslim) of the prayer, after having omitted the first tashahhud, it is sunnah to perform the prostration of forgetfulness and then repeat the closing greeting (taslim) , provided that :
(a) a significant amount of time has not passed and,
(b) one has not turned away from the direction of prayer (qibla) and,
(c) one has not spoken to any creature.

Otherwise, one need not do anything, as the prostration of forgetfulness is itself a supererogatory act; one’s prayer remains valid without it.

2) As for one who is unsure of whether he prostrated once or twice, such a person should assume he prostrated only once, and perform an additional prostration. One should also perform the prostration for forgetfulness, due to the possibility of one’s having performed an extra prostration.

Translated by Mahmoud Hamed

Habib Umar bin Hafiz  is a descendant of the Prophet (upon him be Allah’s peace and blessings). Born into a family of scholars, Habib Umar, pursued the sacred sciences from a young age, including Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, ‘Aqeedah, Arabic, and Spirituality. In 1994, he established Dar al-Mustafa, an educational institute in Tarim, Yemem.

Link to the original answer

هل في السنن (النوافل) سجود سهو ؟ وإذا قمت إلى الركعة الثالثة ولم أقرأ التشهد الأوسط ثم سلمت ونسيت أن أسجد سجدتي السهو ماذا أفعل ؟ إذا قمت من السجود ثم أتاني شك هل سجدت سجدة واحدة أم سجدت سجدتين ماذا افعل ؟.
نعم في النوافل سجود سهو إذا حصل مقتضى السجود..
ومن سلَّم وقد ترك التشهد الأول فإن قرب العهد بلا استدبارٍ للقبلة ولا كلامٍ لمخلوق يسن له العود للسجود وإعادة السلام بعد السجود، وإلا فلا شيء عليه إذْ سجود السهو سنة والصلاة صحيحة.
ومن شك أسجد سجدة أم سجدتين يزيد سجدة ثم يسن له سجود السهو لاحتمال الزيادة