Sujud-ul-Sahw.

Sujud-ul-Sahw.

Ruling when in doubt about the number of Rak‘ahs preformed during a Salah.


Q: During a four-Rak‘ah Salah (Prayer consisting of four units)
an Imam was doubtful and did not know whether he had performed three or four Rak‘ahs. When he concluded the Taslim (salutation of peace ending the Prayer), he was informed by the Ma’mums (those praying behind an Imam) that he had only performed three Rak‘ahs.
Should the Imam get up and say the Takbirat-ul- Ihram saying: "Allahu Akbar ?[Allah is the Greatest]" upon starting Prayer) for the fourth Rak‘ah or just get up and recite Al-Fatihah without saying the Takbir?
As for Sujud-ul-Sahw (Prostration of Forgetfulness) , should it be performed before the Taslim or after it?

Answer:-

If the Imam or someone performing a four-Rak‘ah Salah alone is in doubt about the number of Rak‘ahs, and does not know whether they have performed three or four, it is obligatory on them to base their Salah on what they are sure of, which is the lower number.
They should consider that they have performed three Rak‘ahs and perform a fourth. They should then perform the Sujud-ul-Sahw before the Taslim. This was authentically reported by Abu Sa‘id Al-Khudary, who said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:-
“If any of you doubts during their Salah and does not know whether they have performed three or four (Rak‘ahs), they should cast aside their doubts and build on what they are sure of. Then they should perform two prostrations before offering Taslim (salutation of peace ending the Prayer).

If the Rak‘ah they have prayed is the fifth, they (the two prostrations) will make their Salah of an even number of Rak‘ahs; and if by praying it they have completed four Rak‘ahs, they (the two prostrations) will be vexing humiliation for Satan.�
(Related by Muslim in his "Sahih [Book of Authentic Hadith]").

A Sunnah rarely Performed- Read some verses audibly in Thur and Asr

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A Sunnah rarely Performed- Read some verses audibly in Thur and Asr

Mar 2, '10 11:34 AM for everyone

A Sunnah rarely Performed- Read some verses audibly in Thur and Asr

‏عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ ‏ ‏قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏أَبِي ‏
‏أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏كَانَ ‏ ‏يَقْرَأُ ‏ ‏بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ ‏ ‏وَسُورَتَيْنِ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ الْأُولَيَيْنِ مِنْ صَلَاةِ الظُّهْرِ وَصَلَاةِ الْعَصْرِ وَيُسْمِعُنَا الْآيَةَ أَحْيَانًا وَكَانَ يُطِيلُ فِي الرَّكْعَةِ الْأُولَى

Abdullah ibn Abu Qatada said" My father told us the Messenger of
Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite Umm Al-Quran and two chapters in the first two Rak'ah of Thur and Asr. Sometimes he would make us hear a verse and he used to make the first Rak'ah lengthy.

Collected by Bukhari 759 and Muslim 451

‏الْبَرَاءِ ‏ ‏قَالَ ‏
‏كُنَّا ‏ ‏نُصَلِّي خَلْفَ النَّبِيِّ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏الظُّهْرَ فَنَسْمَعُ مِنْهُ الْآيَةَ بَعْدَ الْآيَاتِ مِنْ سُورَةِ ‏ ‏لُقْمَانَ ‏ ‏وَالذَّارِيَاتِ

Al-Bara' said: We used to pray Thur behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and we heard some of the verses from Surah Luqman and Dhariyat.

Collected by An-Nasa'I 972 . Shaykh Muhammad Adam Al-Ethiopee (may Allah preserve him) graded this Hadeeth as being " Saheeh Lee Ghayreehee" 

Benefits about this topic:

1.      Qadee 'Iyaad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: " This hadeeth proves there is no harm in reading some verses aloud in the silent prayers. [ sharh Saheeh Muslim for the above hadeeth]

2.      Ibn Hajr Al-Asqalanee (May Allah have mercy on him) said: " Some ulema hold that if the Imam intentionally or unintentionally reads some verses audibly during Thur and Asr, he should make the prostration for forgetfulness. However we don't hold this opinion. There is no harm in reciting some verses audibly during those prayers. In fact it's Sunnah. [ Fathul Bari 3/217]

3.      Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih Al-Uthaymeen (may Allah rest him in Jannah) said about the words "Sometimes he would make us hear a verse…" applies to Thur and Asr . Sometimes he would recite a verse or so aloud in the silent prayers. Perhaps he (peace and blessings be upon him) would do this to liven up the people behind him, himself, or inform them that he's reading Quran and isn't just standing silently.

 Occasionally reading some verses audibly during Thur and Asr is Sunnah [ Sharh Saheeh Muslim ]

4.Shaykh Muhammad Ameen Al-Ethiopiee (may Allah preserve him) said about the words " Sometimes he would make us hear a verse…" applies to  verses from  Fateehah, a surah, or two verses from any chapter.[ Sharh Saheeh Al-Muslim vol 7 page 288]

5. Shaykh Muhammad Adam Al-Ethiopee (may Allah preserve him) said: The hadeeth in this section proves its permissible to read some verses aloud during Thur and Asr ; and it isn't disliked to read both silently and aloud now and again. Furthermore this hadeeth shows its recommended to read Luqman and Dhariyat in Thur prayer [ Sharh Sunnan An-Nisa' vol 12 page 234]

Translated and prepared by Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Lamont Battle

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