When is the prostration for forgetfulness performed before the closing salam or after it?
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Question:
You know the virtue, reward, and status of prayer, but matters may arise that diminish its reward. Allah the Exalted has provided a means to rectify it, which is the prostration for forgetfulness. I hope you will give us a complete understanding of it: is it performed before the closing salam or after? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The prostration for forgetfulness is prescribed for the forgetfulness that occurs from the imam or the one praying alone. It is obligatory in cases where deliberate action invalidates the prayer. It is permissible to perform it before the closing salam or after it. If one prostrates before the salam, there is no harm; if one prostrates after the salam, there is no harm. The matter is broad, but it is better to prostrate before the salam in all circumstances, except in two cases:
The first is if one says the closing salam while missing a rak'ah or more. In this case, it is better to prostrate after the salam, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did in the hadith of Dhu al-Yadayn and in the hadith of 'Imran: when he said the salam while missing something, he completed the prayer and said the salam, then prostrated two prostrations for forgetfulness after the salam. This is what is better.
The second case is when a person acts on his predominant suspicion, meaning he is unsure whether he prayed three or four rak'ahs, and his predominant suspicion is that it was four, so he completes the prayer, and the people praying behind him do not object to that; in this case, it is better to prostrate after the taslim. Likewise, if he is praying alone and his predominant suspicion is that it was four, and he acts on that suspicion, then it is better to prostrate after the taslim; this is based on the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) in al-Bukhari: that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Ibn Hibban 10:978, so he made the prostration after the taslim.
In cases other than these two, it is better to prostrate before the salam. However, if one prostrates before the salam in all cases, or after the salam in all cases, there is no blame on him, and praise be to Allah.
You know the virtue, reward, and status of prayer, but matters may arise that diminish its reward. Allah the Exalted has provided a means to rectify it, which is the prostration for forgetfulness. I hope you will give us a complete understanding of it: is it performed before the closing salam or after? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The prostration for forgetfulness is prescribed for the forgetfulness that occurs from the imam or the one praying alone. It is obligatory in cases where deliberate action invalidates the prayer. It is permissible to perform it before the closing salam or after it. If one prostrates before the salam, there is no harm; if one prostrates after the salam, there is no harm. The matter is broad, but it is better to prostrate before the salam in all circumstances, except in two cases:
The first is if one says the closing salam while missing a rak'ah or more. In this case, it is better to prostrate after the salam, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did in the hadith of Dhu al-Yadayn and in the hadith of 'Imran: when he said the salam while missing something, he completed the prayer and said the salam, then prostrated two prostrations for forgetfulness after the salam. This is what is better.
The second case is when a person acts on his predominant suspicion, meaning he is unsure whether he prayed three or four rak'ahs, and his predominant suspicion is that it was four, so he completes the prayer, and the people praying behind him do not object to that; in this case, it is better to prostrate after the taslim. Likewise, if he is praying alone and his predominant suspicion is that it was four, and he acts on that suspicion, then it is better to prostrate after the taslim; this is based on the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) in al-Bukhari: that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
If any one of you is uncertain in his prayer, let him seek the truth, let him complete his prayer based on that, then let him say the salam, and then let him prostrate two prostrations.
إذا شكَّ أحدُكم في صلاته فليتحرَّ الصواب، وليتم عليه، ثم ليُسلم، ثم يسجد سجدتينIn cases other than these two, it is better to prostrate before the salam. However, if one prostrates before the salam in all cases, or after the salam in all cases, there is no blame on him, and praise be to Allah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.