As human beings, we are by nature subject to mistakes and errors. As mentioned earlier, if a person
fails to perform any of the pillars of the prayer and/or necessary duties, that
person is required to rectify the error by making two additional prostrations
at the end of the prayer known as “SUJJUD ALSAHW”. i.e. forgetfulness
prostration. But where a pillar(s) is omitted, a repetition of the missed
pillar(s) is necessary.
The four major types
of errors due to forgetfulness are as follows:
If an addition is made to the prayer e.g.
praying Dhuhr with 5 rakaa instead of 4, then the two additional prostrations
for forgetfulness should be performed after saying “Assalaam”. (Words of
peace).
If a prayer is performed with a lesser number of rakaa than is required, e.g. to
pray 3 rakaa for Dhuhr instead of 4. Then, the two additional prostrations for
forgetfulness should be performed before proclaiming “Assalaam”.
If both an addition and omission is made in the course of the prayer, the forgetfulness
prostration can be done before declaring the “Assalaam”.
If
a person is in doubt whether omission or addition is made to his prayer, he
should consider it a deduction as a precautionary measure and perform Sujuud
Assahw – the additional prostration for forgetfulness before affirming
“Assalaam”.
INSTANCES REQUIRING
“SUJUUD ASSAHW” :
1. Where a pillar of
prayer is omitted.
When,
for example, a person forgets to recite the “Al- Fatihah” but remembers it
before Rukuu, or in the process of proceeding to rukuu, then that person is
required to resume a proper standing position and read the Al-Fatihah and some
other verses from the Holy Quran as usual.
If this omission
occurred in the first rakaa and the person remembers the omission while in the
course of the second rakaa, then that person should count the second rakaa as
being the first rakaa.
Accordingly, he will not count the first rakaa, in which
the error occurred, and proceed to perform one extra rakaa to complete his salaat.
At the end of salaah, he will say “Assalaam”, after which he should
perform two additional Sujuud Assahw - the prostration for forgetfulness, and
again say his “Assalaam”.
If
a person sitting in the final Tashahhud, remembers that he missed a prostration
(in the same rakaa), then he should immediately perform the missed prostration
and sit back again to repeat the recitation of Tashahhud.
This person would
then declare “Assalaam” to conclude the prayer, but thereafter he should
perform the additional Sujuud Assahw - the prostration for forgetfulness, and
then say the “Assalaam” again.
The above two
examples typify errors that occur in performing a pillar of salaat
(Rukn-us-Salaat) while performing Salaat. In these situations,
The person is not only required to repeat the missed act, but he is also required to
perform the two additional
prostrations - Sujuud Assahw.
2. Where a necessary
duty is omitted.
However, when someone
misses a “WAAJIB” (Necessary duty) of the prayer, the additional two
prostrations (Sujuud Assahw, will suffice. There is no need to repeat the
missed act or the whole rakaa.
Thus, if a Wajib act is missed and the person
remembers the error, while he is in another stage station of the prayer, then
he is not required to repeat the ignored act, but would proceed to complete
the rest of the prayer. At the end, before saying “Assalaam”, he performs the
additional two prostrations - Sujuud Assahw, the prostration for forgetfulness.
3. When a preferred
act is omitted.
As for Sunnans
(Preferred Acts) of the prayer which may be missed, there is no necessity to
repeat those preferred acts, or to perform the Sujuud Assahw.
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