When Does Sujud at-Tilawah Become Obligatory?
متى يكون سجود التلاوة واجبا؟
If a person was praying in congregation (behind an Imam) and the Imam prostrates himself, then the Sujud al-Tilawah becomes obligatory.
إذا كان الإنسان يصلي في جماعة خلف الإمام يكون سجود التلاوة واجبا إذا سجد الإمام.
1. The Imam Is Followed | الإمام يؤتم به
The Prophet said: The imam is appointed to be followed, so do not differ from him. When he bows, bow; when he says: Allah hears whoever praises Him, say: Our Lord, to You belongs the praise; and when he prostrates, prostrate (Sahih al-Bukhari 722). A follower whose imam prostrates for a verse of prostration therefore prostrates with him.
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَارْكَعُوا مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ (سورة البقرة: 43)
قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "إنما جعل الإمام ليؤتم به فلا تختلفوا عليه، فإذا ركع فاركعوا، وإذا قال سمع الله لمن حمده فقولوا ربنا لك الحمد، وإذا سجد فاسجدوا" (صحيح البخاري 722). فمن سجد إمامه لآية سجدة سجد معه.
2. The Companions Prostrated With Him | سجود الصحابة معه
Ibn Umar said that the Prophet would recite to them a surah with a prostration in it, and he would prostrate and they would prostrate, until some of them could not find a place for the forehead (Sahih al-Bukhari 1075). Abu Rafi prayed the Isha prayer behind Abu Hurairah, who recited When the sky is split open and prostrated; asked about it, he said: I prostrated in it behind Abu al-Qasim, and I will keep prostrating in it until I meet him (Sahih al-Bukhari 768). Al-Inshiqaq is one of the three surahs named after events of the Day of Judgment, as explained in which surahs are named after events of the Day of Judgment. Read more in the tafsir of Surah Al-Inshiqaq.
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقُرْآنُ لَا يَسْجُدُونَ (سورة الانشقاق: 21)
قال ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما: كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقرأ علينا السورة فيها السجدة، فيسجد ونسجد، حتى ما يجد أحدنا موضع جبهته (صحيح البخاري 1075). وقال أبو رافع: صليت مع أبي هريرة العتمة فقرأ (إذا السماء انشقت) (الانشقاق 84: 1) فسجد، فقلت: ما هذه؟ قال: سجدت بها خلف أبي القاسم صلى الله عليه وسلم، فلا أزال أسجد بها حتى ألقاه (صحيح البخاري 768).
3. Outside the Congregation | خارج الجماعة
Outside this case the scholars differ. Al-Qurtubi reports that Malik and al-Shafi'i said the prostration of recitation is not obligatory, while Abu Hanifah said it is; the others relied on Umar, who told the people from the minbar that whoever prostrates has done right and whoever does not commits no sin (Sahih al-Bukhari 1077). The ruling and the evidence are set out in what Sujud at-Tilawah is.
إِنَّمَا يُؤْمِنُ بِآيَاتِنَا الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهَا خَرُّوا سُجَّدًا وَسَبَّحُوا بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ (سورة السجدة: 15)
وفي غير هذه الحال اختلف العلماء، فنقل القرطبي أن مالكا والشافعي قالا: ليس بواجب، وقال أبو حنيفة: هو واجب، واعتمد الآخرون على قول عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه على المنبر: يا أيها الناس، إنا نمر بالسجود، فمن سجد فقد أصاب، ومن لم يسجد فلا إثم عليه (صحيح البخاري 1077).
4. Where the Prostrations Are | مواضع السجود
The first place of prostration in the order of the Mushaf is the last verse of Al-A'raf (7:206), and Ibn Kathir notes that prostration there is legislated for the reciter and the listener by consensus. How many places there are is answered in how many places of prostration the Quran has, and the surahs are listed in which surahs contain the verses of prostration.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَيُسَبِّحُونَهُ وَلَهُ يَسْجُدُونَ (سورة الأعراف: 206)
أول موضع للسجود في ترتيب المصحف آخر آية من سورة الأعراف: (إن الذين عند ربك لا يستكبرون عن عبادته ويسبحونه وله يسجدون) (الأعراف 7: 206)، وذكر ابن كثير أنها مما يشرع لتاليها ومستمعها السجود بالإجماع.
Scholarly Insight: Al-Qurtubi notes that the scholars agree the prostration of the Quran needs what prayer needs: purity from ritual impurity and from filth, intention, facing the qibla, and a permitted time. The only exceptions he records are al-Bukhari's report that Ibn Umar prostrated without purity, and the same from al-Sha'bi reported by Ibn al-Mundhir. Read more in the tafsir of Surah Al-A’raf.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
When does Sujud at-Tilawah become obligatory?
When a person is praying in congregation behind an imam and the imam prostrates for a verse of prostration: the follower prostrates with him.
What is the evidence for following the imam?
The Prophet said: The imam is appointed to be followed, so do not differ from him, and when he prostrates, prostrate (Sahih al-Bukhari 722).
Did the Companions prostrate with the Prophet for recitation?
Yes. Ibn Umar said they prostrated with him until some of them could not find a place for the forehead (Sahih al-Bukhari 1075).
Is it obligatory outside congregational prayer?
Al-Qurtubi reports that Malik and al-Shafi'i held it is not obligatory, while Abu Hanifah held that it is.
Prepared by Eng. Ghada Homad, founder of IslamFAQ, researched and written in consultation with qualified scholars, reviewed by Professor Khaled Jassem Al-Houli, Associate Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence and Islamic Politics, Faculty of Sharia and Islamic Studies, University of Kuwait. Read more about the authors and this project →