Grounds For Sujud Sahwi (MM 10/8/08)

Munyatul Musolli 10th August 2008

Grounds For Sujud Sahwi (continued).

We said last week:

In other circumstances, you forget to sit for tasyahhud awwal, and rise to
qiyam. About midpoint (exactly at the border or past ruku’ position), you become
aware of the mistake and re-sit for tasyahhud. You should complete the
tasyahhud, and remember to do sujud sahwi later.

Likewise, in 2nd raka’at of Subuh (or witir during 2nd half Ramadan), you forget to recite Do’a Qunut, and proceed for sujud. Halfway down (exactly or past ruku’ position), you put in reverse gear and straighten up. You should complete the Qunut, and remember to do sujud sahwi later.

It is important to mention that all the above (reverse after ruku’s position and sujud sahwi later) are permissible only if you’re ignorant of the rules or if you in doubt of it. On the other hand, a learned person – after aware of missing tasyahhud/qunut- should proceed to the next position and patch up his mistake with sujud sahwi. If he reverse after passing the ruku’ position, his solah is nullified (batal).

The next cases relate to those who forget to do tasyahhud or qunut, but yet to move past the ruku’ position.

1. You forget tasyahhud awal and raise, but before reaching the ruku’ position, you become aware and sit down and redo tasyahhud. The tasyahhud becomes valid, and you are not required to do sujud sahwi.
2. You forget qunut and stoop for sujud, but before reaching the ruku’ position, you become aware and raise back and redo qunut. The qunut becomes valid, and you are not required to do sujud sahwi.

In contrast, if you forget tasyahhud and already completely standing, you’re not allowed to go back and sit for tasyahhud. Deliberately going back would make the solah batal. Likewise if you forget qunut and has completely started sujud, you’re not allowed to raise back for qunut. (A complete sujud means you have all feet, knees, hands, forehead on the floor).

The previously discussed situations on sujud sahwi of course meant for a person performing solah alone, or for an imam to a congregation (jama’ah). It does not apply for a follower (ma’mum).

Sunnah Ab’ad Situations For a Ma’mum.

A ma’mum has no choice but to follow actions of his imam at all times, except when the imam commits something that could nullify a solah. In this particular case:
Suppose the imam forgets his tasyahhud and has risen completely in standing (qiyam), then stoops back and sit for tasyahhud.

1. If the ma’mum is already in the proper standing position, then he has to remain standing and wait until the imam finishes his tasyahhud.
2. The ma’mum has not yet reached the standing position when he sees the imam bend down to redo tasyahhud. Here the ma’mum has to continue rising and stand completely waiting for the imam to finish his tasyahhud.

In the above cases (1 and 2), the ma’mum has to wait and only follow the imam’s subsequent actions (recite al-Fatihah and onwards).

Suppose the imam forgets his qunut and has sujud completely, then raises back and recite qunut.

1. If the ma’mum is already in sujud position, then he has to remain sujud and wait.
2. The ma’mum has not yet sujud when he sees the imam raise back. Here the ma’mum has to continue bending down and sujud completely and wait.

In the above cases, the ma’mum has to wait and only follow the imam’s subsequent actions (recite al-Fatihah and onwards).

The ma’mum has to ‘play a sport’ (husn dzon) and assume that the imam reversed his actions not deliberately. Remember that doing something illegal inadvertently or in overlook will not nullify solah.
In short, whenever an imam commits something in forgetful a ma’mum should not follow that action. This is regardless whether that action nullifies solah or not.

Ustaz Zakaria summarized:
You forget tasyahhud awwal:

• You rise, but just before ruku’ position, reverse and re-sit for tasyahhud. You don’t need sujud sahwi later.
• You rise, on or after ruku’ position, reverse and re-sit for tasyahhud. You need to do sujud sahwi later.
• You rise completely, then re-sit for tasyahhud. Your solah is batal.

Ustaz Zakaria commented:

• Knowledge has to come from lesson properly transmitted with sanad (chain of transmission). Teacher and student must know each other. This would ensure barakah (blessings).
• Hadith: A major sin is forgiven with any of the following conditions: Recited al-Ikhlas 100,000 times; Performed a 1st-class pilgrimage (Haj-Mabrur); Martyred while fighting for Allah’s cause.
• Building a masjid: Make intention (niat) - that this building is a masjid - only after construction completed, since its easier to preserve masjid-manners (adab) then. Any building could be upgraded into masjid upon the owner’s niat. A masjid can never be ‘downgraded’ to a lesser status.
• Missed solahs must be made up (qodo). It’s like a debt to Allah that you must pay back.
  If our parents pass away and we know they missed solah some point during lifetime, it is recommended that we qodo on their behalf. We also could pay other people to qodo for them. Still, we could also pay fidyah to the poor (1 fard solah missed = 1 cupak of rice). This is qaul daif mazhab Syafi’I, and it is known that Imam as-Subki paid fidyah on behalf of his deceased mother.

Wallahu a’lam.

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