If whilst praying and after reciting the al fatiha I think about what to read next for a few seconds does that invalidate my prayer or mean I have to make prostration of forgetfulness. Also what do I do if I think whilst I am in sujood or ruku or any other actions and I am not reading anything whilst thinking. For example, sometimes I forget what rakah I am in and spend a lot of time thinking about what rakah is more likely, or I spend time trying to judge whether or not I have wudhu.
In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.
Answer
Sajdah Sahwa becomes obligatory under the following circumstances:
- Any wajib act being omitted.
- Any wajib act being displaced, i.e. observing it before time or later than its actual occasion of being observed.
- Any wajib act being delayed to the extent of one rukn i.e. the time taken to say subhanallah three times.
- Any wajib act being reported.
- Any wajib act being altered, e.g. loud recitation being recited in place of silent recitation.
- Any fardh act being displaced, i.e. observing it before time or later than its actual occasion of being observed.
- Any fardh act being repeated. (Raddul Muhtar p.543 v.2)
If any of the above mishaps occur due to forgetfulness, only then Sajdah Sahwa will remedy the error. However, if a person deliberately missed the aforementioned things then his salah will break. Sajdah Sahwa will not be sufficient. (Mazahirul Haqq p.21 v.2)
From the aforementioned situation, we can derive that if a wajib act like the recitation of Surah Fatiha or any Surahs were delayed up to the duration of three subhanallah’s then Sajdah Sahwa would be obligatory, but your Salah does not break.
Only Allah Knows Best
Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
