When a reader of the Noble Qur'an encounters the verses of prostration, is prostration obligatory upon him? What is the recitation he must read in such a case, and what is the manner of prostration?
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The questioner : When a reader of the Noble Qur'an encounters the verses of prostration, is prostration obligatory upon him? What is the recitation he must read in such a case? And what is the manner of prostration in general and the wisdom behind it?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions. Prostration of recitation, when a person encounters a verse of prostration, is a recommended practice (sunnah) and not obligatory, according to the stronger opinion. The evidence for this is what is established in Sahih al-Bukhari from 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he recited the verse of prostration in Surat al-Nahl from the pulpit and prostrated. Then he recited it in the second Friday prayer and did not prostrate, and then he said (may Allah be pleased with him): "Indeed, Allah has not made prostration obligatory upon us except that we may do it if we wish". He said this in the presence of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and no one refuted him. However, it is a confirmed recommended practice (sunnah mu'akkadah), and it is not befitting for a person to leave it when he encounters a verse of prostration. It is a recommended practice (sunnah) for the reader and for the listener to his recitation. So if a man is listening to the recitation of a reader next to him, and the reader encounters a verse of prostration and prostrates, it is recommended (mustahabb) for the listener to prostrate. If he does not prostrate, meaning if the reader does not prostrate, then the listener does not prostrate, because the prostration of the listener follows the prostration of the reader. And if the reader is reciting in prayer, he says takbir for prostration when he prostrates and says takbir when he raises his head. This is what the apparent meaning of the Sunnah indicates. It is established from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) and it is established from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) and others of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them): that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say takbir in his prayer every time he raised his head and every time he lowered it, in every raising and lowering. The generality of this includes prostration of recitation if it is in prayer. So if a verse of prostration passes you while you are praying, say takbir and prostrate, and when you rise from the prostration, say takbir. In prostration of recitation, one says what is said in the prostration of prayer: "Glory be to my Lord, the Most High. Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and praise. O Allah, forgive me. O Allah, to You I prostrate, in You I believe, and upon You I rely. My face prostrates to Allah who created it and gave it its form, and opened its hearing and sight. So Blessed is Allah, the best of creators. O Allah, write for me by it a reward, and remove from me by it a burden, and make it for me a store with You, and accept it from me as You accepted it from Your servant Dawud".
As for if you are outside of prayer, you say takbir for prostration and do not say takbir for raising your head, and you do not say the closing salam. This is the stronger opinion. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you...
The Shaykh : And know, yes, and know that if you encounter a verse of prostration at any time, whether night or day, what is prescribed (mashru') for you is to prostrate, even after 'Asr and after Fajr. This is because every prayer has a cause, so it is performed in the times of prohibition, and there is no prohibition upon it. For this reason, if you enter the mosque after the Fajr prayer, and you have already prayed Fajr, intending to sit in it to listen to dhikr or recite the Qur'an, do not sit until you pray two rak'ahs. Likewise, if you enter the mosque after 'Asr, do not sit until you pray two rak'ahs. And so it is with all voluntary prayers that have a cause: if their cause occurs at any time, whether night or day, you pray them. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, esteemed Shaykh.
A message arrived from Dammam, sent by the listener M Y M M. He says in his long message.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions. Prostration of recitation, when a person encounters a verse of prostration, is a recommended practice (sunnah) and not obligatory, according to the stronger opinion. The evidence for this is what is established in Sahih al-Bukhari from 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he recited the verse of prostration in Surat al-Nahl from the pulpit and prostrated. Then he recited it in the second Friday prayer and did not prostrate, and then he said (may Allah be pleased with him): "Indeed, Allah has not made prostration obligatory upon us except that we may do it if we wish". He said this in the presence of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and no one refuted him. However, it is a confirmed recommended practice (sunnah mu'akkadah), and it is not befitting for a person to leave it when he encounters a verse of prostration. It is a recommended practice (sunnah) for the reader and for the listener to his recitation. So if a man is listening to the recitation of a reader next to him, and the reader encounters a verse of prostration and prostrates, it is recommended (mustahabb) for the listener to prostrate. If he does not prostrate, meaning if the reader does not prostrate, then the listener does not prostrate, because the prostration of the listener follows the prostration of the reader. And if the reader is reciting in prayer, he says takbir for prostration when he prostrates and says takbir when he raises his head. This is what the apparent meaning of the Sunnah indicates. It is established from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
That the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited Surat al-Inshiqaq in the 'Isha' prayer and prostrated in it.
أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قرأ في صلاة العشاء سورة الانشقاق وسجد فيهاAs for if you are outside of prayer, you say takbir for prostration and do not say takbir for raising your head, and you do not say the closing salam. This is the stronger opinion. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you...
The Shaykh : And know, yes, and know that if you encounter a verse of prostration at any time, whether night or day, what is prescribed (mashru') for you is to prostrate, even after 'Asr and after Fajr. This is because every prayer has a cause, so it is performed in the times of prohibition, and there is no prohibition upon it. For this reason, if you enter the mosque after the Fajr prayer, and you have already prayed Fajr, intending to sit in it to listen to dhikr or recite the Qur'an, do not sit until you pray two rak'ahs. Likewise, if you enter the mosque after 'Asr, do not sit until you pray two rak'ahs. And so it is with all voluntary prayers that have a cause: if their cause occurs at any time, whether night or day, you pray them. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, esteemed Shaykh.
A message arrived from Dammam, sent by the listener M Y M M. He says in his long message.