What Is the Correct Method of Prostration of Recitation (Sajdat Al-Tilawa)?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
When someone recites a Sura, such as Surat al-‘Alaq, you prostrate; however, do we have to recite anything in prostration or simply prostrate?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are well.
One should perform the prostration of the Recital (Sajdat al-Tilawa) in the following manner:
One prostrates once between two takbirs, both of which are sunna. One does not raise the hands, recite tashahhud, or say closing salams. [’Ala’uddin ‘Ibn ’Abidin, al-Hadiyya al-’Ala’iyya; Tahtawi, Hashiyat al-Tahtawi ’ala Maraqi ‘l-Falah]
Correct Method of Performing Prostration of Recitation (Sajdat al-Tilawa)
One will say the Takbir (Allahu Akbar) whilst going down into prostration, read the tasbih odd number of times, or the specific dua for it, which ‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) says, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) would recite the following dua’ when he would make Sajdat al-Tilawa:
“.سَجَدَ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي خَلَقَهُ، وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وبَصَرَهُ، بِحَوْلِه وُقُوَّتِه فِتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أحْسَنُ الـخَالِقينَ”
“Sajada wajhi lilladhi khalaqahu wa shaqqa sam’ahu wa basarahu bihawlihi wa quwwatihi fatabarak Allahu ahsanal khaliqin.”
(I have prostrated my face to the One Who created it, granted its ability to hear and see, through His Ability and Power. So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.)
And rise up from prostration, saying the takbir again.
Related:
Prayer Reader: The Ultimate Guide To Prayer in Islam
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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.
