Fatwa ID: 09054
Answered by Muftiyah Aisha Qureshi
Question:
Assalamu Alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu.
I would like to find out in which circumstances sujood as-sahw would not be obligatory upon person who unintentionally skipped a wajib element during Salah. I’ve read somewhere that strictly before sunset it’s not compulsory. Is it true?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
The actions of salah are divided into three categories: fard (obligatory), wajib (necessary), and sunnah (recommended).
If a person leaves out a fard action, the prayer becomes invalid and must be repeated. If a wajib action is missed unintentionally, the prayer is still valid but incomplete.
This is corrected by performing sujud al-sahw at the end of the prayer, because missing or changing a wajib action causes a shortcoming in the prayer that must be rectified through sujud al-sahw. [1]
If the mistake is corrected during the prayer before moving on, sujud al-sahw is not required.
Sujud al-sahw is part of the prayer itself, not a separate voluntary act. It follows the ruling of the prayer it belongs to, so it is not restricted by the rules that apply to nafl prayers in makruh times.
Therefore, if the prayer is valid, sujud al-sahw is also valid and is not considered disliked when required within the prayer. [2]
Although voluntary prayers are not allowed after Fajr until sunrise and after Asr until sunset, this restriction applies only to nafl prayers, not to sujud al-sahw, which is a necessary part of completing the prayer. [2]
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Muftiyah Aisha Qureshi
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
فَسَبَبُ وُجُوبِهِ تَرْكُ الْوَاجِبِ الْأَصْلِيِّ فِي الصَّلَاةِ، أَوْ تَغْيِيرُهُ أَوْ تَغْيِيرُ فَرْضٍ مِنْهَا عَنْ مَحَلِّهِ الْأَصْلِيِّ سَاهِيًا؛ لِأَنَّ كُلَّ ذَلِكَ يُوجِبُ نُقْصَانًا فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَيَجِبُ جَبْرُهُ بِالسُّجُودِ
Badai al Sanai fi tarteeb alsharai, Dar al Kutub al-ilmiya Vol 1 pg. 164, Accessed via al-Maktabah al-Shamila – 28-04-26
[2]
قَوْلُهُ: وَسَجْدَتَيْ سَهْوٍ) أَقُولُ: تَبِعَ فِيهِ صَاحِبَ الْمُجْتَبَى، وَلَمْ يَظْهَرْ لِي مَعْنَاهُ هَلْ هُوَ عَلَى إطْلَاقِهِ أَوْ مُقَيَّدٌ بِبَعْضِ الصَّلَوَاتِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا وَجْهَ لِكَرَاهَةِ سُجُودِ السَّهْوِ فِيمَا لَوْ صَلَّى الْفَجْرَ أَوْ الْعَصْرَ وَسَهَا فِيهِمَا، وَكَذَا لَوْ قَضَى بَعْدَهُمَا فَائِتَةً وَسَهَا فِيهَا فَإِنَّهُ إذَا حَلَّ لَهُ أَدَاءُ تِلْكَ الصَّلَاةِ كَيْفَ لَا يَحِلُّ لَهُ سُجُودُ السَّهْوِ الْوَاجِبِ فِيهَا؟
Rad al Muhtar, Dar-il Fikr Beirut Vol 1 pg. 375, Accessed via al-Maktabah al-Shamila – 28-04-26