The ruling on one who makes a mistake in prayer and does not prostrate for forgetfulness
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Question:
We prayed in congregation in a mosque, and the imam stood up for the fifth rak'ah. The ma'mum said to him, "Subhan Allah," so he sat down, then he said the taslim without prostrating for forgetfulness. Did the worshippers leave the mosque in that state?
Answer:
This is an error. If a person stands up for the fifth rak'ah in the Zuhr, 'Asr, or 'Isha' prayer, and is then informed that it is an extra rak'ah, and he returns to his seat, he must prostrate for forgetfulness before saying the taslim. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he added to the prayer or subtracted from it, would prostrate two prostrations.
The scholars mentioned that if one performs an action that invalidates the prayer, he must prostrate for forgetfulness. There is no doubt that standing up for the fifth rak'ah intentionally invalidates the prayer. If he did it out of forgetfulness, he must return, sit down, recite the tashahhud, and then prostrate for forgetfulness before saying the taslim. If he delays and prostrates after the taslim, there is no harm.
As for omitting the prostration, that is not permissible. However, perhaps he omitted it out of forgetfulness and was not informed. But it is obligatory for him to prostrate for forgetfulness in such a case. Likewise, if he stands up for a fourth rak'ah in the Maghrib prayer, or for a third rak'ah in the Fajr prayer, and is then informed or remembers, and returns, he must also prostrate for forgetfulness to complete his prayer.
Question : What if he sat down for the third rak'ah instead of the fourth, and was then informed?
Answer: He prostrates for forgetfulness. Because if he sat down for the third rak'ah, he intended to leave out a rak'ah. If he is then informed, he prostrates. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the one who was uncertain about his prayer: "If it was three, or four, let him make it three, then complete his prayer, and then prostrate for forgetfulness. If he prayed five, his prayer was completed for him, and if he prayed four, it was a humiliation for Satan."
Question: What if he was informed after he had left the mosque?
Answer: He returns and prostrates with those present.
We prayed in congregation in a mosque, and the imam stood up for the fifth rak'ah. The ma'mum said to him, "Subhan Allah," so he sat down, then he said the taslim without prostrating for forgetfulness. Did the worshippers leave the mosque in that state?
Answer:
This is an error. If a person stands up for the fifth rak'ah in the Zuhr, 'Asr, or 'Isha' prayer, and is then informed that it is an extra rak'ah, and he returns to his seat, he must prostrate for forgetfulness before saying the taslim. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he added to the prayer or subtracted from it, would prostrate two prostrations.
The scholars mentioned that if one performs an action that invalidates the prayer, he must prostrate for forgetfulness. There is no doubt that standing up for the fifth rak'ah intentionally invalidates the prayer. If he did it out of forgetfulness, he must return, sit down, recite the tashahhud, and then prostrate for forgetfulness before saying the taslim. If he delays and prostrates after the taslim, there is no harm.
As for omitting the prostration, that is not permissible. However, perhaps he omitted it out of forgetfulness and was not informed. But it is obligatory for him to prostrate for forgetfulness in such a case. Likewise, if he stands up for a fourth rak'ah in the Maghrib prayer, or for a third rak'ah in the Fajr prayer, and is then informed or remembers, and returns, he must also prostrate for forgetfulness to complete his prayer.
Question : What if he sat down for the third rak'ah instead of the fourth, and was then informed?
Answer: He prostrates for forgetfulness. Because if he sat down for the third rak'ah, he intended to leave out a rak'ah. If he is then informed, he prostrates. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the one who was uncertain about his prayer: "If it was three, or four, let him make it three, then complete his prayer, and then prostrate for forgetfulness. If he prayed five, his prayer was completed for him, and if he prayed four, it was a humiliation for Satan."
Question: What if he was informed after he had left the mosque?
Answer: He returns and prostrates with those present.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.