Is My Prayer Valid If I Utter an Additional Word during Prayer?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question

If I recite al-Hamd mistakenly before attaḥiyaiyaat in the last sitting and then do the prostration of forgetfulness. After prostration of forgetfulness if I again mistakenly recite al-Hamd before attaḥiyaiyaat do I need to do the prostration of forgetfulness again or my prayer is valid without it.

Answer

I pray you are well.

If you made another mistake after performing the prostration of forgetfulness you do not need to repeat the prostration. Simply end your prayer. [Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]

After thinking about this matter, one realizes how profound this ruling is in its implications for Allah Most High. Allah Most High does not demand perfection from us – only He is perfect. Yet, He does not hasten to punish mistakes either. Some He overlooks; others He gives us ways and means to compensate for; and others still, He inspires us to repent from, thereby raising our ranks, because, “Indeed, Allah loves those who repeatedly repent.” [Quran, 2:222]

May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History he moved to Damascus in 2007 where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital and he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.