Question & Inquiry:
What should a worshipper do if they forget Sujud as-Sahw (Prostration of Forgetfulness) and only remember after completing the Taslim?
If remembered shortly after Taslim and without turning away from the Qiblah, perform the two prostrations and make Taslim again. If a long time has elapsed, the prayer remains valid according to the majority of scholars, and no repeat is required.
Detailed Answer & Evidence:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad, his family, and companions.
Jurists have addressed the ruling on forgetting Sujud as-Sahw (the prostration of forgetfulness) in detail:
- Scenario 1: Short interval: If the worshipper remembers shortly after concluding the prayer with Taslim (e.g., within a couple of minutes) and has not broken Wudu or engaged in prolonged speech, he should immediately face the Qiblah, make Takbir, perform two prostrations for Sahw, and make Taslim. This is founded upon the authentic Hadith of Dhu al-Yadayn reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim.
- Scenario 2: Long interval: If a significant duration of time has passed, or if the individual has exited the mosque and engaged in daily affairs, the obligation to perform the prostration drops, and the prayer is valid and accepted by the consensus of the majority of scholars (Hanafi, Shafi'i, and Hanbali), and no repeat is necessitated.
And Allah the Almighty knows best.
Classical Jurisprudence References:
Sahih al-Bukhari (No. 482); Sahih Muslim (No. 573); Al-Majmu' Sharh al-Muhadhdhab (Vol 4, p. 138).
Sheikh Dr. Tariq Al-Mansoor
PhD in Quranic Sciences & Ijazah in Ten Qira'at (Al-Azhar University)