How is the prostration of recitation performed?
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The questioner : They are asking about how the prostration of recitation is performed?
The Shaykh : The cause of the prostration of recitation is that a person comes upon a prostration verse. The prostration verses in the Noble Qur'an are known and marked in the margins of the mushafs. When a person comes upon a prostration verse, it becomes confirmed for him to prostrate to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). In fact, some scholars said that the prostration of recitation is obligatory, but the correct view is that it is not obligatory. This is because the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), once delivered a Friday sermon and recited the prostration verse in Surat al-Nahl, so he prostrated. Then he recited it in another Friday sermon and did not prostrate. Then he (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Indeed, Allah has not made prostration obligatory upon us except that we will it". The exception here is disconnected, meaning that the sense of his saying: "except that we will it" is that if we will it, we prostrate. It does not mean: except that we will it to make it obligatory, so He makes it obligatory upon us, because obligations are not contingent upon will. And 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did this in the presence of the Companions, and no one objected to him, despite the Companions' (may Allah be pleased with them) eagerness to object to what is objectionable. So the approval of the Companions in this great gathering of a matter issued by the Rightly Guided Caliph 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), or in a matter issued by the Rightly Guided Caliph 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), indicates that that, namely the prostration of recitation, is not obligatory, and this is the correct view. And it is the same whether the person is in prayer or not in prayer.
As for how it is performed, a person says takbir and prostrates like the prostration of prayer on the seven limbs and says:Sahih al-Bukhari 4293, and he supplicates with the famous supplication: Then he stands up without takbir or taslim.
As for if he prostrates in prayer, he says takbir when he prostrates and says takbir when he raises his head, because all those who described the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding his takbir mention that he says takbir whenever he raises and whenever he lowers. And this includes the prostration of recitation, for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to prostrate for recitation in prayer, as is authentic from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah: that he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited in the 'Isha' prayer:[Al-Inshiqaq 84:1] so he prostrated in it.
And those who describe the prayer of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the takbir do not exclude the prostration of recitation from this, so this indicates that the prostration of recitation in prayer is like the prostration of the body of the prayer, meaning that he says takbir when he prostrates and when he raises his head. There is no difference whether the prostration verse is in the last verse he recited or in the middle of his recitation; he says takbir when he prostrates and says takbir when he raises his head, then he says takbir for ruku' when he bows. It does not harm the succession of the two takbirs because their causes are different. And what some people do when they recite the prostration verse in prayer and prostrate, saying takbir for the prostration but not for the raising from it, I do not know a basis for that. And the disagreement mentioned regarding the takbir when raising from the prostration of recitation is only for the standalone prostration that occurs outside of prayer. As for if the prostration is during the prayer, it is given the ruling of the prostration of the body of the prayer, so he says takbir when he prostrates and says takbir when he stands up from the prostration.
The questioner : Thank you to Allah, O esteemed Shaykh, and may Allah magnify your reward for what you have presented and explained to us and to our noble brothers, the honorable listeners. This episode of today's program, Light on the Path, has ended, and we will meet you tomorrow, if Allah wills. Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : The cause of the prostration of recitation is that a person comes upon a prostration verse. The prostration verses in the Noble Qur'an are known and marked in the margins of the mushafs. When a person comes upon a prostration verse, it becomes confirmed for him to prostrate to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). In fact, some scholars said that the prostration of recitation is obligatory, but the correct view is that it is not obligatory. This is because the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), once delivered a Friday sermon and recited the prostration verse in Surat al-Nahl, so he prostrated. Then he recited it in another Friday sermon and did not prostrate. Then he (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Indeed, Allah has not made prostration obligatory upon us except that we will it". The exception here is disconnected, meaning that the sense of his saying: "except that we will it" is that if we will it, we prostrate. It does not mean: except that we will it to make it obligatory, so He makes it obligatory upon us, because obligations are not contingent upon will. And 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did this in the presence of the Companions, and no one objected to him, despite the Companions' (may Allah be pleased with them) eagerness to object to what is objectionable. So the approval of the Companions in this great gathering of a matter issued by the Rightly Guided Caliph 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), or in a matter issued by the Rightly Guided Caliph 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), indicates that that, namely the prostration of recitation, is not obligatory, and this is the correct view. And it is the same whether the person is in prayer or not in prayer.
As for how it is performed, a person says takbir and prostrates like the prostration of prayer on the seven limbs and says:
Subhanaka Allahumma Rabbanã wa bihamdika, Allãhumma ighfirli
سبحان ربي الأعلى ، سبحانك اللهم ربنا وبحمدك اللهم اغفر ليO Allah, to You I prostrated, in You I believed, and upon You I relied. My face prostrated to Allah who created it, formed it, and opened its hearing and sight by His power and might. O Allah, write for me thereby a reward, remove from me thereby a sin, and make it for me a store with You, and accept it from me as You accepted it from Your servant Dawud.
اللهم لك سجدت وبك آمنت وعليك توكلت سجد وجهي لله الذي خلقه وصوره وشق سمعه وبصره بحوله وقوته ، اللهم اكبتب لي بها أجراً وضع عني بها وزراً واجعلها لي عندك ذخراً وتقبلها مني كما تقبلتها من عبدك داوودAs for if he prostrates in prayer, he says takbir when he prostrates and says takbir when he raises his head, because all those who described the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding his takbir mention that he says takbir whenever he raises and whenever he lowers. And this includes the prostration of recitation, for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to prostrate for recitation in prayer, as is authentic from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah: that he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited in the 'Isha' prayer:
When the sky has split [open]
إذا السماء انشقتAnd those who describe the prayer of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the takbir do not exclude the prostration of recitation from this, so this indicates that the prostration of recitation in prayer is like the prostration of the body of the prayer, meaning that he says takbir when he prostrates and when he raises his head. There is no difference whether the prostration verse is in the last verse he recited or in the middle of his recitation; he says takbir when he prostrates and says takbir when he raises his head, then he says takbir for ruku' when he bows. It does not harm the succession of the two takbirs because their causes are different. And what some people do when they recite the prostration verse in prayer and prostrate, saying takbir for the prostration but not for the raising from it, I do not know a basis for that. And the disagreement mentioned regarding the takbir when raising from the prostration of recitation is only for the standalone prostration that occurs outside of prayer. As for if the prostration is during the prayer, it is given the ruling of the prostration of the body of the prayer, so he says takbir when he prostrates and says takbir when he stands up from the prostration.
The questioner : Thank you to Allah, O esteemed Shaykh, and may Allah magnify your reward for what you have presented and explained to us and to our noble brothers, the honorable listeners. This episode of today's program, Light on the Path, has ended, and we will meet you tomorrow, if Allah wills. Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.