Liaison office of Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Al Sistani (L.M.H.L) in London, Europe, North and South America.
Introduction
1245. Two Sajdatus Sahv become necessary for five things, and they are
performed after Salam. Their method will be explained later:
For talking forgetfully during prayers.
Reciting Salam at the wrong place, like, forgetfully reciting them in the
first Rak'at.
Forgetting tashahhud.
When there is a doubt in a 4 Rak'at prayers, after second Sajdah, as to
whether the number of Rak'ats performed is 4 or 5, 4 or 6.
When after namaz, one realises that he has either omitted or added
something by mistake, but that omission or addition does not render the
prayers void.
These five situations call for Sajdatus Sahv. As per recommended obligation,
if a person performs only one Sajdah forgetting the other, or if he erroneously
sits down where he should stand, or vice versa, he should perform 2 Sajdatus
Sahv. In fact, for every omission and addition made by mistake, in namaz, two
Sajdatus Sahv be performed.
1246. If a person talks, by mistake or under the impression that his
prayer has ended, he should perform 2 Sajdatus sahv, as a precaution.
1247. Sajdatus sahv is not obligatory for the sound emitted by
coughing, but if one inadvertently sighs or moans, like, 'Ah', he should, as a
precaution, perform Sajdatus Sahv.
1248. If a person makes an error in some recitation, and then repeats
to correct it, Sajdatus Sahv will not be obligatory upon him.
1249. If a person talks for some time in namaz by mistake, and if the
process is construed as having talked just once, he will perform two Sajdatus
Sahv after Salams.
1250. If a person forgets the tasbihat Arba'ah , the recommended
precaution is that he should perform 2 Sajdatus Sahv after his prayers.
1251. If at a place where the Salam of prayers is not to be said, a
person forgetfully says "Assalamu 'alayna wa'ala 'ibadil lahis salihin" or says:
"Assalam 'alaykum" he should, as an obligatory precaution, perform 2 sajdatus
sahv, even if he did not add "Wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh". But if he says: "As
Salamu alayka Ayyuhan Nabiyyu Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh" then Sajdatus Sahv
will be a recommended precaution.
1252. If a person says, by mistake, all the 3 Salams at the time when
Salam should not be recited, it is sufficient to perform 2 Sajdatus Sahv.
1253. If a person forgets one Sajdah or tashahhud, and remembers it
before the Ruku of the next Rak'at, he should return and perform it. And after
the prayers, he should, as a recommended precaution, offer two Sajdatus Sahv for
additional standing (Qiyam).
1254. If a person remembers during Ruku or thereafter, that he has
forgotten one Sajdah or tashahhud of the preceding Rak'at, he should perform the
qadha of Sajdah after the Salam of prayers, and for tashahhud he should perform
two Sajdatus Sahv.
1255. If a person does not perform Sajdatus Sahv after the Salam of
prayers intentionally, he commits a sin, and it is obligatory upon him to
perform it as early as possible. And if he forgets to perform it, he should
perform it immediately when he remembers. It is, however, not necessary for him
to repeat the prayers.
1256. If a person doubts whether or not two Sajdatus Sahv have become
obligatory upon him, it is not necessary for him to perform them.
1257. If a person doubts whether two or four Sajdatus Sahv have become
obligatory upon him, it will be sufficient if he performs two Sajdatus Sahv.
1258. If a person knows that he has not performed one of the two
Sajdatus Sahv, and if it is not possible to do it then, he should perform two
Sajdatus Sahv again. And if he knows that he has offered three Sajdah
forgetfully, the obligatory precaution is that he should perform two Sajdatus
Sahv again.
The method of offering Sajdatus
Sahv
1259. Immediately after the Salam of prayers, one should make a niyyat
of performing Sajdah, placing one's forehead, as an obligatory precaution, on an
object which is allowed. It is a recommended precaution that Zikr be recited,
and a better Zikr is: Bismillahi wa billah assalamu 'alayka ayyuhan Nabiyyu wa
rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
Then one should sit up and perform another Sajdah
reciting the above mentioned Zikr. After performing the second Sajdah one should
sit up again and recite tashahhud and then say: Assalamu 'alaykum'; it is better
to add to it: Wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
Qadha of the forgotten Sajdah and Tashahhud
1260. If a person forgets Sajdah and tashahhud, and offers its qadha
after prayers, he should fulfil all the conditions of prayers, like his body and
dress being Pak, and facing the Qibla, and all various other conditions.
1261. If a person forgets Sajdah a few times, like, if he forgets one
Sajdah in the first Rak'at and another in the second Rak'at, after the prayers,
he should perform the qadha of each one of them. It is better that, as a
precaution he should also perform Sajdatus Sahv for each of them.
1262. If a person forgets one Sajdah and tashahhud, he should, as a
precaution, offer two Sajdatus Sahv for each of them.
1263. If a person forgets two Sajdahs from two Rak'ats, it is not
necessary to observe the order while giving their qadha.
1264. If between the Salam of prayers and the qadha of Sajdah, a
person performs an act which would invalidate the prayers were he to do so
purposely or forgetfully, like, turning away from Qibla, the recommended
precaution is that, after performing the qadha of Sajdah, he should repeat his
prayers.
1265. If a person remembers just after the Salam of prayers that he
has forgotten a Sajdah, or tashahhud of the last Rak'at, he should resume to
complete the prayers, and should, as an obligatory precaution, perform two
Sajdatus Sahv for an additional Salam.
1266. If between the Salam of prayers and the qadha of Sajdah, a
person performs an act which makes Sajdatus Sahv obligatory (like, if he talks
forgetfully), he should, as an obligatory precaution, first perform qadha of
Sajdah and then do two Sajdatus Sahv.
1267. If a person does not know whether he has forgotten a Sajdah or
tashahhud in his prayers, he should perform qadha of Sajdah, and also perform
two Sajdatus Sahv. And as a recommended precaution, he should perform qadha of
tashahhud also.
1268. If a person doubts whether or not he has forgotten to perform
Sajdah, or tashahhud, it is not obligatory for him to perform its qadha, nor to
perform Sajdatus Sahv.
1269. If a person knows that he has forgotten Sajdah, but doubts
whether or not he has performed it before the Ruku of the succeeding Rak'at, the
recommended precaution is that he should perform its qadha.
1270. If it is obligatory on a person to perform qadha of Sajdah, and
owing to some other act, Sajdatus Sahv also becomes obligatory upon him, he
should first perform the qadha of Sajdah after prayers, and then perform
Sajdatus Sahv .
1271. If a person doubts whether or not he has given the qadha of the
forgotten Sajdah after the prayers, and if the time for the prayers has not
lapsed, he should give the qadha. In fact, even if the time of namaz has lapsed,
he should , as an obligatory precaution, give the qadha.