Rules of Forgetfulness in Prayer

Prostration of Forgetfulness

Perfection is an attribute unique to Allah, exalted be He; no creation shares in that attribute. Human beings, by nature, are prone to deficiency. Islamic legislation acknowledges this human limitation by introducing methods to correct mistakes in prayer through the practice of Prostration of Forgetfulness (Sujud al-Sahw) whenever there is a flaw in performing the prayer—be it an addition, omission, or doubt. This principle underscores the accessibility and ease of worship in Islam, which is a prominent characteristic within its laws. Authentic Hadiths confirm that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) experienced forgetfulness during his prayers and performed the Prostration of Forgetfulness accordingly. He stated, “I am only a human who forgets like you do; if I forget, remind me; and if any of you doubts in his prayer, let him strive for what is correct, complete it, and then perform two prostrations.” It is essential for every Muslim to understand the reasons, rulings, and appropriate instances for this prostration to ensure the integrity of their prayer and to receive its reward. Ignorance of mandatory worship practices is not an excuse, making the inquiry concerning the Prostration of Forgetfulness in prayer significant.

Rulings on Forgetfulness in Prayer

Errors in prayer can manifest in various ways—whether in its pillars, obligations, or recommended actions. Correcting these errors carries specific rulings according to Islamic jurisprudence, which will be clarified in the following sections.

Forgetfulness in Verbal Pillars of Prayer

A worshipper may leave out, relocate, or alter a verbal pillar in prayer:

If a worshipper forgets the opening takbir, they must repeat the entire prayer, as it is a prerequisite for initiating prayer and cannot be compensated for.
If a worshipper shifts a verbal pillar to an incorrect position in prayer, such as reciting Al-Fatiha while in the bowing position or making the Tashahhud in place of standing, this requires Prostration of Forgetfulness according to the Shafi’i school. Conversely, the Maliki school holds that there is no obligation to prostrate in such cases, while some Hanbali scholars view it as an act of recommendation. The Hanafi view elaborates that reciting Al-Fatiha during bowing or prostration necessitates Prostration of Forgetfulness, whereas making the Tashahhud during standing or bowing does not, since these positions are not considered places for reciting Al-Fatiha, which would warrant the prostration. The Tashahhud during standing does not necessitate prostration as it is considered a general praise of Allah.
If a verbal pillar is omitted, the majority of scholars agree that the worshipper must perform an additional rak’ah in its place, along with Prostration of Forgetfulness, as reciting Al-Fatiha is a pillar in all rak’ahs according to most scholars. In contrast, the Hanafi perspective permits a substitute if the omission occurs in the first two rak’ahs, allowing the worshipper to recite it in the last two rak’ahs, coupled with the Prostration of Forgetfulness. If the omitted verbal pillar was the last Tashahhud or the final salutation, the Shafi’i school mandates that the worshipper must perform it and then prostrate for forgetfulness. Overall, scholars agree that failing to perform the Prostration of Forgetfulness after the completion of a prayer in which an error occurred invalidates the prayer.

Forgetfulness in Physical Pillars of Prayer

If a worshipper forgets a physical pillar, the situation is either one that can be rectified or one that cannot. The jurisprudential detail is as follows:

If a worshipper forgets a physical pillar before concluding the prayer with the salutation—such as prostrating before bowing or bowing before standing—they must rectify it upon remembering before completing their prayer, subsequently prostrating for forgetfulness at the end. This is the position of the Shafi’i and Hanbali schools.
The Hanafi viewpoint maintains that neglecting one of the two prostrations within a rak’ah does not invalidate the entire rak’ah, allowing the worshipper to complete the forgotten prostration at the end of their prayer followed by Prostration of Forgetfulness. The Shafi’i and Hanbali perspectives align on the necessity to perform a full rak’ah if both prostrations or the bowing are left out, provided the worshipper recalls before the salutation.
If the worshipper only recalls the forgotten pillar after the salutation has been made, they may return to complete the omitted rak’ah, provided they remain in the same location, according to the majority opinion of Shafi’i and Hanbali scholars. The Hanafi school concurs, with the exception of the prostration.
If there is a lengthy intermission before the worshipper remembers the forgotten pillar or if their ablution (wudu) has been nullified before recollection, they are required to repeat the prayer.
The majority of scholars agree that brief speaking between the salutation and realization of forgetfulness does not necessitate a repeat of the prayer; however, the Hanafi school disagrees on this issue.

Forgetfulness in Obligations and Sunnah of Prayer

Forgetfulness regarding the obligations of prayer is distinct from that of the Sunnah, with scholars providing specific rulings as follows:

The Hanafi and Hanbali schools categorize certain elements as obligatory in prayer; consequently, the individual who forgets one must perform Prostration of Forgetfulness. For instance, if a worshipper forgets the first Tashahhud and rises to perform the third rak’ah after the second rak’ah’s prostration, if sitting is closer than standing, they must return for the Tashahhud without needing to prostrate; if standing is nearer, they may proceed with their third rak’ah without returning, and the error is rectified through Prostration of Forgetfulness. This is derived from the authentic narration of the Prophet who mentioned, “If one of you rises from sitting, and has not yet fully stood, let him sit down; there are no two prostrations upon this. If he has fully stood, let him continue in his prayer and perform two prostrations while sitting.”
Intentional or forgetful omission of Sunnah does not constitute a flaw necessitating Prostration of Forgetfulness, except in rare circumstances identified by some scholars. For example, missing the invocation of Qunoot in Fajr prayer, according to Shafi’i scholars, obliges Prostration of Forgetfulness. Additionally, some scholars address the issue of forgetting to recite aloud in public prayers or failing to recite silently in private prayers, both of which necessitate Prostration of Forgetfulness.
Some actions that warrant Prostration of Forgetfulness include speaking out loud in silent prayer or reciting silently in loud prayer, which are exceptions to the general rule. This differs from the positions of Shafi’i and Ahmad in one of his narrations.
Reciting dhikr and prescribed supplications during prayer do not require Prostration of Forgetfulness unless deemed obligatory by some scholars, such as in the Hanbali school.

Rulings on Excess in Prayer

Excess in prayer can occur either through additional acts or words within the prayer or actions that are beyond its purpose. The clarification is as follows:

If the excess consists of actions or words fundamental to the prayer, such as performing additional bowing or prostrating, the worshipper must make Prostration of Forgetfulness to rectify the error, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated, “If a person adds or omits, let him perform two prostrations.”
If a worshipper mistakenly adds a rak’ah to their prayer after completing the requisite number, the rulings regarding Prostration of Forgetfulness depend on when they realize this, as detailed:
- If they recall the excess rak’ah before performing its prostration, they should return directly to the final Tashahhud; failing to do so intentionally invalidates their prayer.
- If they remember after performing the additional rak’ah, all schools of thought, except for the Hanafi, require that they perform the Tashahhud after the extra rak’ah, then complete with peace and prostrate for forgetfulness. This ruling is based on the reliable narration from Abdullah ibn Mas’ud who stated, “The Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed Dhuhr five times. They said, ‘Is there an increase in the prayer?’ He asked, ‘What is that?’ They replied, ‘You prayed five times.’ He turned his legs and prostrated for forgetfulness twice.”
Scholars state that if a worshipper recites an unprescribed supplication or dhikr during prayer, such as proclaiming “Allahu Akbar Kabiran” during the takbir, it does not invalidate the prayer nor necessitate Prostration of Forgetfulness.
If the excess involves verbal expressions, such as talking or responding to a greeting, this invalidates the prayer if done intentionally, according to the majority of scholars; however, the Hanafi viewpoint argues that speech invalidates prayer whether intentional or forgetful.
If the excess consists of actions not related to the prayer, such as stepping out of the designated area or fidgeting excessively, the prayer is invalidated by excessive movements, while minimal movements are permissible regardless if intentional or forgetful.

Ruling on Doubt Regarding the Number of Rak’ahs

When a worshipper is uncertain about the number of rak’ahs they performed, the scholars clarify the matter:

The majority of scholars agree that when in doubt, the worshipper should assume they have performed the fewer number, as indicated in the narration by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated, “If one of you is unsure in his prayer and does not know whether he prayed three or four, let him dismiss the doubt and act upon what he is most certain of, then perform two prostrations before concluding the prayer; if he prayed five, the prostrations will compensate for his prayer, and if his completion was for four, they will serve to humiliate the devil.”
According to the Hanafi school, it is necessary to repeat the prayer if doubt arises at the beginning; this stems from the belief that doubt arises rarely. They cite the narration by Ubadah bin al-Samit, who reported that the Prophet was asked about a man who made a mistake in prayer and was unsure how many rak’ahs he had performed, to which he replied, “Let him repeat his prayer and prostrate twice while seated.” If doubt frequently occurs, the worshipper should rely on their preponderance; if both sides are equal and one cannot favor a side over the other, they assume the lesser number and continue the prayer, then perform Prostration of Forgetfulness. This is also the view of the Hanbali school, but without differentiating as in the Hanafi approach.

Definition and Rulings of Prayer

Prayer, in Islamic terms, refers to a specific act of worship that is obligatory for Allah, performed by accountable Muslims through specified words and actions. It commences with the Takbir and concludes with the Tasleem. It is termed prayer (Salah) because it encompasses supplication and standing before Allah. The original meaning of the term refers to any supplication.
The ruling on prayer is of paramount importance within the religion, often regarded as the pillar of Islam. The consensus among scholars is that it is one of the mandatory acts, obligatory upon every accountable Muslim, either male or female, upon reaching the legal threshold of maturity as confirmed by the onset of menses for females or equivalent signs for males. The obligation of prayer is substantiated by text from the Qur’an and Sunnah as well as the consensus of the Muslim community. Allah states in the Qur’an, “Indeed, prayer has been enjoined upon the believers at specific times.” This designation means that it is obligatory. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) instructed Muadh bin Jabal to inform the people of Yemen about its obligation, saying, “Inform them that Allah has mandated five prayers for them each day and night.” Scholars unanimously agree that anyone who denies or rejects the obligation of prayer, whether intentionally or not, is considered disbeliever and subjected to the ruling of apostasy unless they repent and announce their contrition, provided they are not recent converts to Islam who have yet to learn about its foundational tenets.