The Ruling on the Prostration for Forgetfulness in Voluntary Prayer

This message is from the United Arab Emirates, sent by one of our brother listeners. Ahmad Jilidan, our brother, asks a set of questions. In his first question, he says: If I forget something in a voluntary prayer, such as the greeting of the mosque or some of the regular voluntary prayers, or in the standing—meaning the tarawih—in Ramadan, do I have to perform the prostration for forgetfulness, or is it not required because it is a voluntary prayer?
Answer: The ruling for a voluntary prayer is the same as for an obligatory prayer. So if a Muslim forgets something in a voluntary prayer that requires the prostration for forgetfulness, he does that in the voluntary prayer. For example, if he forgets a prostration from the prostrations and stands up, he goes back and performs the prostration, then performs the prostration for forgetfulness before saying the closing salam, and then says the salam. Likewise, if he says the closing salam while forgetting the tashahhud and then remembers, he goes back and performs the tashahhud, then performs the prostration for forgetfulness and says the salam, or he says the salam and then performs the two prostrations of forgetfulness after the salam. All of this is permissible, because its ruling in this matter is the same as the ruling for an obligatory prayer. Yes.