Sajdah-e-Tilaawah

Sajdah-e-Tilaawah

Holy Quran: Ayats (verses) Requiring Sajda-e-Tilawat

Points of Sajdah Tilawat in the Holy Quran

There are 14 places in the Sacred Book of Allah (SUBHANAHU WA TAALA) where the Prostration of Recitation becomes obligatory to perform which are:

1. Surah Al A’Raf (7) Ayat 206

2. Surah Al Ra’d (13) Ayat 15

3. Surah Al Nahl (16) Ayat 50

4. Surah Bani Israil (17) Ayat 109

5. Surah Maryum (19) Ayat 58

6. Surah Al Haj (22) Ayat 18

7. Surah Al Farqan (25) Ayat 60

8. Surah Al Naml (27) Ayat 26

9. Surah As Sajdah (32) Ayat 15

10. Surah Sa’d (38) Ayat 24

11. Surah Hamim Sajdah (41) Ayat 38

12. Surah Al Najam (53) Ayat 62

13. Surah Inshiqaq (84) Ayat 21

14. Surah Al Alaq (96) Ayat 19

In the second last Ayah of Surah Haj, i.e. Chapter 22; Verse 77, one is not liable to perform Sajdah as the Command of Allah (SUBHANAHU WA TAALA) in this Verse is solely about prayers.

Regulations Concerning Sajdah Tilawat

Since, the Prostration of Recitation has been greatly emphasized on the believers to perform; therefore, it requires one to follow a set of guidelines and instructions regarding this religious duty.

i) Obligatory to carry out only on those who are of the age of performing Salah. In other words, children are exempt from execution of Sajdah Tilawat.

ii) If an Ayah containing the order of prostration comes in the recitation while being in a state of congregational prayer, it has to be performed right away in the same Salah. But if it is recited outside the state of Namaz, it could be acted upon later on.

iii) If, due to forgetfulness, Sajdah is skipped in prayer, one should ask the Most Merciful for Mercy.

iv) If one hears the Imam having recited the Quranic Verse containing Sajdah and already accomplished it, but it joins the afterwards, it should perform Prostration of Recitation after Namaz. However, if a person joins that very same Rakah of prostration, then there is no need to perform it afterwards as Imam has already achieved it.

v) One is not liable to carry out Sajdah Tilawat if it recites a particular Verse in its mind without raising its voice.

vi) If an Ayah containing sajdah is repeated many times in the same session, only one Prostration of Recitation is to be done. However in different sittings, one is to perform Sajdah Tilawat according to its number.

vii) One cannot execute Prostration of Recitation at the same place over the Holy Quran at the time of its narration. It has to be performed separately like carrying out a Salah.

These are some of the guiding principles concerning Sajdah Tilawat which need to be kept in mind.

HOW TO PERFORM SAJDA-E-TILAWAT

Sajda Tilaawat will be performed like a normal Sajda. Wudhu is a condition.

There is no Sajdah Tilaawat when the Aayat of Sajdah is heard on tape.

Face the Qiblah and without raising the hands, recite Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar), going down in the Sajda position. In Sajda, recite Subhaana rabbiyal a'alaa at least 3 times. Thereafter, reciting the Takbeer if you wish to. If you wish, you may arise from the Sajda position into the Tashahhud position. The Sajdah Tilaawat is now complete. There is no need for Salaam.

SIGNIFICANCE, METHOD AND REGULATIONS OF SAJDAH (PROSTRATION) TILAWAT

The Islamic Conviction calls for believing in One God, i.e. Allah (SUBHANAHU WA TAALA) and worshiping Him alone. In this regard, Sajdah (Prostration) is a great act of attaining Nearness to the Almighty Lord and weakening the influence of Satan. Muslims all over the world perform this necessary action of completion of Islamic Faith which is the personification of one`s dependence on One Allah (SUBHANAHU WA TAALA) in all matters of life and beyond. The Messenger of God, Hazrat Muhammad ﷺ explained the high significance of Sajdah Tilawat in the following way:

“Once, a person prostrates himself after reading a verse requiring the performance of sajdah, the shaitan starts crying and wailing in a corner, saying: ‘Alas! The children of Adam were enjoined to perform sajdah and they carried it out, and become entitled to enter Paradise, but I refused to do so and was condemned to Hell.'” (Muslim and Ibn Majah)

Satan was the one who did not prostrate in front of Adam and refused to fulfill the command of Allah (SUBHANAHU WA TAALA). Therefore, it does not like when a Muslim observes this obligatory deed which results in the attainment of Jannah (Paradise) in the hereafter. Therefore, it means that Rasulullah ﷺ has regarded Sajdah as a great means of making Shaitan fragile which ultimately leads to seeking Pleasure of the Creator of the world of the worlds.

Sajdah Tilawat is the form of prostration that one has to execute in front of Allah (SUBHANAHU WA TAALA) while reading or hearing the recitation of specific parts of the Holy Quran. It is one of the essential rights of Furqan e Hameed, which every believer has to carry out.

Prerequisites Of Sajdah Tilawat

The necessary requirements for the rightful completion of this indispensable act of Prostration of Recitation are as follows:

1. Maintaining complete cleanliness in terms of both body and clothes

2. Choosing a hygienic place

3. Facing towards Qiblah

4. Making a Niyah (clear intention) of Sajdah

Procedure Of Sajdah Tilawat

The method of performing Sajdah Tilawat can be observed in the following Hadith:

“When you have recited a verse requiring sajdah tilawat, you should go down for sajdah with Allahu-Akbar and rise from sajdah with Allahu-Akbar, which may be performed sitting, though it is preferable to prostrate oneself from the standing position.” (Abu Dawood)

The above mentioned Saying of Rasulullah ﷺ gives the basic outline of carrying out the Prostration of Recitation which is:

1. Facing the Qiblah

2. Expression of the necessary Intention of Sajdah

‘Nawaytu Sajdatut Tilaawati lillahi Ta’ala’

1. Going down to prostration position after saying “Allahu Akbar” and pronouncing ‘Subhaana Rabbiyal A’ala‘ three times

2. Rising up from Sajdah with “Allahu Akbar”

It is Mustahab (desirable) to start from a standing position, however, one can also perform Sajdah Tilawat whilst sitting.

Forbidden Occasions Of Performing Sajdah Tilawat

There are some moments in during day in which the Prostration of Recitation becomes void and one is Makrooh (prohibited) from accomplishing it in these instances. These are:

1. At the time of sunrise

2. When the Sun has set high (at noon)

3. And at the juncture of setting of the Sun

In short, Sajdah Tilawat is the form of both fulfillment of religious obligation of prostrating in front of Allah (SUBHANAHU WA TAALA) as well as accomplishment of the important right of the Holy Quran. It results in getting the Happiness of the Almighty Lord and leads to fading of the satanic power of manipulating one`s thoughts.

QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
Question: Is it mandatory to make sajdah-e-tilaawah when reciting one of the fourteen sajdah verses of the Qur'an?

A: Through reciting an aayat of sajdah, it becomes waajib upon a person to make sajdah. However, one does not have to make the sajdah immediately, rather one has the choice of making the sajdah at the time of reciting the aayat of sajdah or at anytime later on.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

( وهي على التراخي ) على المختار ويكره تأخيرها تنزيها ويكفيه أن يسجد عدد ما عليه بلا تعيين ويكون مؤديا وتسقط بالحيض والردة ( إن لم تكن صلوية ) فعلى الفور لصيرورتها جزءا منها

قال الشامي : قوله ( على المختار ) كذا في النهر والإمداد وهذا عند محمد وعند أبي يوسف على الفور هما روايتان عن الإمام أيضا كذا في العناية قال في النهر وينبغي أن يكون محل الخلاف في الإثم وعدمه حتى لو أداها بعد مدة كان مؤديا اتفاقا لا قاضيا اه قال الشيخ إسماعيل وفيه نظر أي لأن الظاهر من الفور أن يكون تأخيره قضاء قلت لكن سيذكر الشارح في الحج الإجماع على أنه لو تراخى كان أداء مع أن المرجح أنه على الفور ويأثم بتأخير فهو نظير ما هنا تأمل قوله ( تنزيها ) لأنه بطول الزمان قد ينساها ولو كانت الكراهة تحريمية لوجبت على الفور وليس كذلك ولذاكره تحريما تأخير الصلاتية عن وقت القراءة إمداد واستثني من كراهة التأخير ما إذا كان الوقت مكروها كوقت الطلوع فرع في التاترخانية يستحب للتالي أو السامع إذا لم يمكنه السجود أن يقول سمعنا وأطعنا غفرانك ربنا وإليك المصير (رد المحتار 2/ 109)

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)