Islamic Manual

The prostration of recitation (sajdah tilawah)

The single prostration that becomes obligatory on reciting or hearing one of the fourteen verses of prostration, how it is performed, and its three causes.

There are fourteen special verses in the Qur'an. Whenever you read one out loud, or hear someone else read one, you must make a single sajdah. This is called sajdah tilawah.

Necessary (Wājib)must do

Making one prostration becomes wajib upon reciting or hearing any one of the fourteen verses of prostration in the Qur'an. This is called sajdah tilawah.

How to make sajdah tilawah

  1. Say Allahu Akbar and go down into sajdah.
  2. Say the same tasbeeh you say in the sajdah of a normal prayer.
  3. Say Allahu Akbar again and come back up.

Three ways sajdah tilawah becomes necessary

  1. You recite one of the fourteen verses yourself.
  2. You hear someone else recite one.
  3. You are praying behind an imam who recites one; it becomes necessary for you too, whether you joined the prayer before or after he read it.
Necessary (Wājib)must do

A single prostration becomes obligatory upon reciting or hearing any one of the fourteen verses of prostration in the Qur'an. This is called sajdah tilawah.

There are fourteen such verses across the whole Qur'an, found in the surahs al-A'raf, ar-Ra'd, an-Nahl, Bani Isra'il, Maryam, al-Hajj, al-Furqan, an-Naml, as-Sajdah, Sad, Ha-Mim Sajdah (Fussilat), an-Najm, al-Inshiqaq, and al-'Alaq.

The Prophet’s practice (Sunnah)the Prophet’s way

Sajdah tilawah is performed between two takbirs, under the same conditions as prayer (facing the qiblah, in a state of wudu, and so on). It does not, however, require raising the hands, reciting Tashahhud, or giving salam. The tasbeeh recited within it is the same as that recited in the prostrations of salah.

The three causes of sajdah tilawah

  1. Reciting a verse of prostration oneself.
  2. Hearing a verse of prostration recited by someone else.
  3. Following an imam who has recited a verse of prostration: the sajdah becomes necessary for the follower too, whether they joined the prayer before or after the imam recited it.
Necessary (Wājib)must do

Sajdah tilawah, a single prostration, becomes wājib upon the recitation or the hearing of any one of the fourteen āyāt as-sajdah distributed through the Qurʼān.

The fourteen verses of prostration occur in Sūrahs al-Aʿrāf, ar-Raʿd, an-Naḥl, Banī Isrāʾīl, Maryam, al-Ḥajj, al-Furqān, an-Naml, as-Sajdah, Ṣād, Ḥā-Mīm as-Sajdah (Fuṣṣilat), an-Najm, al-Inshiqāq, and al-ʿAlaq.

The Prophet’s practice (Sunnah)the Prophet’s way

It is performed between two takbīrs, under the same conditions that govern ṣalāh (ṭahārah, satr al-ʿawrah, facing the qiblah), but without raf' al-yadayn, Tashahhud, or salām, none of which belong to it. Its tasbīḥ is that of the sujūd of ṣalāh.

Necessary (Wājib)must do

Sajdah tilawah has three distinct causes, any one of which obligates it: reciting a verse of prostration oneself; hearing a verse of prostration recited by another; and following an imam who has recited such a verse, in which case it becomes obligatory upon the follower (muqtadī) regardless of whether they joined the prayer before or after the imam's recitation of it.

This is the English translation of Nisab Ahle Khidmaat Sharia, exactly as the book has it, for the passages this page was written from. About 178 words. Switch back to Guide for the rewritten version.

Rulings of Prayer (Salah) 19. The Rulings of Sajdah Tilawah (Prostration of Recitation)

(1) Performing a single prostration becomes obligatory upon reciting or hearing any one of the fourteen specific verses of the Quran. This prostration is called Sajdah Tilawah.

(2) There are fourteen such verses of prostration in the entire Quran.

(3) Sajdah Tilawah is performed between two Takbirs (اَللّٰہُ اَکْبَرْ) under the same conditions as prayer. However, it does not require raising hands, reciting Tashahhud, or Salam.

(4) The supplication (Tasbeeh) recited during Sajdah Tilawah is the same as that recited in the prostrations of Salah.

(5) It is recommended to stand before and after performing Sajdah Tilawah, Saying اَللّٰہُ اَکْبَرْ while going into prostration and upon rising from it.

(6) The verses of Sajdah Tilawah are found in the following Surahs: A’raf, Ra’d, Nahl, Bani Israel, Maryam, Hajj, Furqan, Naml, Sajdah, Sad, Hamim Sajdah, Najm, Inshiqaq, and Alaq.

(7) There are three causes for Sajdah Tilawah to become obligatory:

  1. Reciting a verse of prostration.
  2. Hearing a verse of prostration from someone.
  3. Following an Imam who has recited a verse of prostration, whether before or after joining the prayer.

Terms on this page

Sajdah tilawah

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