If the imam is in the loud prayer and reads after Surat al-Fatihah a surah that has a prostration of recitation at its end, such as al-Najm or al-'Alaq, does he prostrate for the recitation?
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The questioner : If the imam is in the loud prayer and reads after Surat al-Fatihah a surah that has a prostration of recitation at the end of its verses, such as Surat al-Najm or al-'Alaq, for example, does he prostrate for the recitation and then rise and proceed directly to bowing and the rest of the pillars of the prayer, or does he not prostrate for the recitation in this case? And likewise, what is the ruling if the imam reads the verse of prostration in the quiet prayer: does he prostrate for the recitation or not?
The Shaykh : As for the first question, if the prostration is at the end of the imam's recitation, whether it is at the end of the surah or in the middle of the surah, then if the imam reaches the prostration, he prostrates. He says Allahu Akbar, prostrates, and says Subhan Rabbi al-A'la, and says what has been transmitted. Then he rises with Allahu Akbar, saying Allahu Akbar to rise from the prostration, and then he bows if he wishes to bow, saying Allahu Akbar for the bowing. We said "if he wishes to bow" because perhaps when he rises from the prostration, he might read something from the Qur'an, and there is no harm in that for him. Rather, if he wishes not to read and says Allahu Akbar for the bowing and bows, there is no harm in that for him.
As for the imam reading a prostration in the quiet prayer, some scholars held that it is disliked for him to read a prostration in the quiet prayer. They said that either he leaves the prostration, in which case he is leaving a recommended practice, or he prostrates, and the follower is confused because he did not hear the recitation, so the follower falls into perplexity. For this reason, they said that it is disliked to read a prostration in a quiet prayer and to prostrate in it. Some scholars held that this is not disliked and that there is no harm in his reading a verse of prostration in the quiet prayer, and that the confusion for the follower can be resolved by his raising his voice to read the prostration when he reaches it. On this basis, there is no harm in reading a verse of prostration in the quiet prayer. A hadith was narrated regarding this from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he read Surat al-Sajdah in the Dhuhr prayer, but I do not recall the ruling on its authenticity or weakness.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. The second question says.
The Shaykh : As for the first question, if the prostration is at the end of the imam's recitation, whether it is at the end of the surah or in the middle of the surah, then if the imam reaches the prostration, he prostrates. He says Allahu Akbar, prostrates, and says Subhan Rabbi al-A'la, and says what has been transmitted. Then he rises with Allahu Akbar, saying Allahu Akbar to rise from the prostration, and then he bows if he wishes to bow, saying Allahu Akbar for the bowing. We said "if he wishes to bow" because perhaps when he rises from the prostration, he might read something from the Qur'an, and there is no harm in that for him. Rather, if he wishes not to read and says Allahu Akbar for the bowing and bows, there is no harm in that for him.
As for the imam reading a prostration in the quiet prayer, some scholars held that it is disliked for him to read a prostration in the quiet prayer. They said that either he leaves the prostration, in which case he is leaving a recommended practice, or he prostrates, and the follower is confused because he did not hear the recitation, so the follower falls into perplexity. For this reason, they said that it is disliked to read a prostration in a quiet prayer and to prostrate in it. Some scholars held that this is not disliked and that there is no harm in his reading a verse of prostration in the quiet prayer, and that the confusion for the follower can be resolved by his raising his voice to read the prostration when he reaches it. On this basis, there is no harm in reading a verse of prostration in the quiet prayer. A hadith was narrated regarding this from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he read Surat al-Sajdah in the Dhuhr prayer, but I do not recall the ruling on its authenticity or weakness.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. The second question says.