Do Unnecessary Prostrations of Forgetfulness Invalidate the Prayer?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question

I have a lot of doubts regarding my recition and other things in my prayer. So I can’t help myself performing prostrations of forgetfulness in almost every prayer.

Does performing unnecessary prostrations of forgetfulness invalidate the prayer?

How can I refrain from this?

Answer

I pray that this message finds you well, insha’Allah.

No, the prayer is not invalidated by the unnecessary prostrations of forgetfulness (sajdat al-sahw).

However, you should only perform them when you accidentally miss a mandatory (wajib) part of the prayer, otherwise not, regardless of what your mind may tell you. Pronunciation errors don’t necessitate prostrations of forgetfulness.

Ignore misgivings. Practice your tajwid outside the prayer and not within it.

Please see:

• A Reader on Waswasa (Baseless Misgivings)
• Do Grammatical and Pronunciation Mistakes While Reciting the Qur’an Invalidate Your Prayer?
• What Can I Do About Anxiety in Prayer and Waswas Regarding My Pronunciation?
• Should I Repeat My Qur’an and Du’a Recitations Due to Errors in Pronunciation?

And consider taking the following free class at SeekersGuidance:
Absolute Essentials of Islam: Basic Hanafi Jurisprudence (STEP)

And Allah alone knows best.

wassalam,

[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorized the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan, and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.