فقه سجود السهوThe jurisprudence of prostration for forgetfulness

[أم أبي التراب]

فقه سجود السهو

The jurisprudence of prostration for forgetfulness

" رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا" البقرة / آية : 286.

*Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error.*

Praise be to Allah, we seek your help, forgiveness, and protection from the evil of our souls, and from the evil of our deeds. And I testify that there is no God except Allah alone, and there is no partner for Him. And I testify that Muhammad is his servant and his messenger.

""يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ"آل عمران 102.

*O you who have believed, fear Allؤپh as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to him.*

"يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ

وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا".النساء:1.

*O mankind! Be dutiful to* *your Lord, Who created you* *from a single person* *(Adam), and from him* *(Adam) He created his wife [Hawwâ (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women; and fear Allâh through Whom you demand (your mutual rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship)[1]. Surely, Allâh is Ever an All-Watcher over you*.

"يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا" الأحزاب 70.

*O you who have believed, fear Allؤپh and speak words of appropriate justice.*

يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا" الأحزاب 71.

*He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allh and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment*.

The most truthful book is the book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family. The most evil things are the Bidaa.

In this short, immortal life, the believer should occupy his time with Zikr and with obedience, and with avoiding disobedience, denial, distractions, and wasting of time. The believer should learn what is in the Quran and should learn the prophet 's Sunnah as this is the only way for salvation. Allah doesn't waste the reward of any who did well.

روى الشيخان من حديث معاوية ـ رضي الله عنه ـ عن النبي ـ صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم ـ قال "من يُرِدِ اللهُ به خيرًا يُفَقِّهْهُ في الدين."

Muawiya narrated: I heard the prophet saying, *"If Allah wants to do good to a person, He makes him comprehend the religion.*
(Al Bukhari and Muslim ).

The best thing is comprehending the religion specifically *praying* which is the second great thing after *Al-Shahadatein*; testifying that there's no God but Allah and testifying that Muhammed is his prophet.

This is a research about *prostrations of forgetfulness* *Sujuoud Al Sahw*.

In this research there are Ayat, hadeeths, and sayings of the predecessors.

The researcher should combine between Fikh and Hadeeth.... The right Hadeeth is the basic which is like the origin and the Fikh is the construction which is like the branch... Every building that has no basic will fall down.

The right thing in this research is from Allah and the wrong is from me and the devil.

I hope that this research will benefit the one who copied it or who studied or shared it in any way on the

"يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ " سورة الشعراء / آية : 88 .

*The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children*

"إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ" الشعراء 89.

*But only one who comes to Allؤپh with a sound heart*

[أم أبي التراب]

Prostrations Of Forgetfulness
Sujuoud Al Sahw

Definition...
Al Sahw... The thing is forgotten, the heart goes to others.
Al Sahw is at the end of the prayer or after it to amend any loss or increase.

The one who forgets anything in the prayer is not sinful.." *our lord don't punish us if we forget or fall into error* "

*عَنْ ابْي ذر الغفاري أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالَ: "إنَّ اللَّهَ تَجَاوَزَ لِي عَنْ أُمَّتِي الْخَطَأَ وَالنِّسْيَانَ وَمَا اسْتُكْرِهُوا عَلَيْهِ"* .

*Abi Zar Al Ghafary narrated *Verily Allah has pardoned [or been lenient with] for me my ummah: their mistakes, their forgetfulness, and that which they have been forced to do under duress*. Sahih sunnan Ibn Majah.

" *إنما أنا بشر أنسى كما تنسون ، فإذا نسيت فذكِّروني* " .

The prophet, peace be upon him, forgot in his prayer and he said: *I am a human being like you and liable to forget like you. So if I forget remind me.*


The prophet, peace be upon him, forgot many times in his prayers and this is to show that he is a human being forgets like all the people, but he is infallible from Allah. He wanted to make legislations for his ummah, and also to make anyone who forgets in his prayer comfortable if he sees that the prophet also forgets in his prayers... Also this show that prophets forget like other people in their deeds but not in what they say to their people.

*The legitimacy of Sujuoud Al Sahw*

There are many hadiths to show the legitimacy of Sujuoud Al Sahw...



فعن أبي هريرة ـ رضي الله عنه ـ قال : قال رسول الله ـ صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم ـ :

*إذا نُودِيَ بالصلاةِ أدبرَ الشيطانُ له ضُراطٌ حتى لا يَسمَعَ الأذانَ ، فإذا قُضِيَ الأذانُ أقبلَ ، فإذا ثُوِّبَ بها أدبَرَ ، فإذا قُضِيَ التثويبُ أقبلَ حتى يَخطِرَ بينَ المرءِ ونفسِه يقولُ : أُذْكُرْ كذا وكذا ـ ما لم يكنْ يَذكُرُ ـ حتى يَظَلَّ الرجلُ إنْ يَدري كم صَلَّى . فإذا لم يَدْرِ أحدُكم كم صلَّى ـ ثلاثًا أو أربعًا ـ فليَسجُدْ سجدتين وهو جالسٌ* "

Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace be upon him, said *When the call to prayer is made, Satan runs back and breaks wind so as not to hear the call being made, and when the call is finished. he turns round*. *When Iqama is proclaimed he turns his back, and when it is finished he turns round to distract a man, saying: Re- member such and such; remember such and such, referring to something the man did not have in his mind, with the result that he does not know how much he has prayed, so he should perform Sujuoud Al Sahw* Sahih Al Bukhari.

The legitimacy of Sujuoud in Fard (obligatory prayer) and Nafl (optional prayer).... The prayer should have rokoe and sujoud, so the Funeral prayer doesn't have Sujuoud Al Sahw as it has no sujoud.

The prophet, peace be upon him, said:


*إذا نسي أحدكم فليسجد سجدتين*



*If one of you forgot, let him prostrate two prostrations*. Narrated by Muslim.

Someone may say is Sujuoud Al Sahw obligatory for the one who forgets something obligatory in the Nafl (optional prayer), we say yes, it's obligatory, because if he doesn't do this his prayer is imperfect and he is mocking. The evidence of this what Al Bukhari said that Ibn Abbas
prostrated two prostrations after praying Al Watr.

Sujuoud Al Sahw in not needed when there is self talk, because is not found in the Shareea (religion), and one can't avoid it.

If someone leaves anything obligatory in the prayer deliberately, Sujuoud Al Sahw isn't needed because his prayer is invalid.

Advantages of Sujuoud Al Sahw....

*عن أبي سعيد الخُدريِّ قال : قال رسول الله ـ صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم " إذا شكَّ أحدُكم في صلاته فليلقِ الشكَّ وليبنِ على اليقين ، إذا استيقنَ التمامَ سجدَ سجدتين ، فإن كانت صلاتُهُ تامَّةً كانت الركعةُ نافلةً والسجدتانِ ، وإن كانت ناقصةً كانت الركعةُ تمامًا لصلاتِه وكانت السجدتان مُرْغِمَتَي الشيطان .*

*Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported: The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: When any one of you is in doubt about his prayer and he does Dot know how much he has prayed, three or four (rak'ahs). he should cast aside his doubt and base his prayer on what he is sure of. then perform two prostrations before giving salutations.

If he has prayed five rak'ahs, they will make his prayer an even number for him, and if he has prayed exactly four, they will be humiliation for the devil.*
Sahih Abi Dawood

[أم أبي التراب]

*Does Sujuoud Al Sahw have Takbeer and Tasleem?*

Yes, it has Takbeer and Tasleem but it has no
Kiam... The prophet, peace be upon him, forgot once in his prayer, then he completed his prayer and performed two Prostrations Of Forgetfulness after Al Tasleem. Sahih Muslim.

*Is it obligatory for making the prostrations (Sujuoud Al Sahw) after Al Tasleem to perform Al Takbeer for the Ihram or saying only the Takbeer of Sujoud?*

Most of the scholars said that it is sufficient to make only Takbeer Al Sujuoud if only the person will make Sujuoud Al Sahw, but if he needs to complete some Raka'ats he should make Takbeer Al Ihram, then the Tasleem and after that make Sujuoud Al Sahw .

*Rulings of Sujuoud Al Sahw* (1).

Scholars have two opinions about Sujuoud Al Sahw..
1- it is obligatory.
2- it is likable.

But most likely it is obligatory, as the prophet, peace be upon him, said: *if anyone forgets in his prayers he should make two Prostrations Of Forgetfulness* .. Muslim.
And the prophet used to do it whenever he forgets.

Prostrations Of Forgetfulness (Sujuoud Al Sahw) is obligatory if one forgets a pillar (rukn) or Obligations (Waajibaat) from his prayer...

But if any one forgets one of the prayer sunnahs, some scholars said that he should not perform Sujuoud Al Sahw as this sunnah won't decrease anything in the prayer, but others said that there should be Sujuoud Al Sahw because the prophet said : *for every Forgetfulness two prostrations*... Sahih Sunnan Abu Dawood .

If one repeated Forgetfulness in his prayer, he should perform only one Sujuoud Al Sahw, as neither the prophet nor any of his companions performed more than one Sujuoud Al Sahw.


The prayer has Arkan, wajibaat and sunnan.

*Arkan* means pillars of the prayer, without it the prayer will be invalid and the person should perform it and perform Sujuoud Al Sahw.

*فعن أبي هريرة ـ رضي الله عنه "أنَّ النَّبيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم صلَّى الظُّهرَ فسلَّمَ في الرَّكعتينِ فقيلَ لَهُ نَقَصْتِ الصَّلاةُ؟ فصلَّى رَكعتينِ ثمَّ سجدَ سجدتين."

*Abu Hurairah reported that the prophet prayed two rak'at for the Duhr prayer, his companions asked him whether the prayer is shortened so he prayed other two rak'at and performed Sujuoud Al Sahw*. Sahih sunnan Abu Dawood.

*Al Wajibaat*... If anyone leaves them delibrately he is sinned..if he remembers it after having moved on from its place in the prayer, but before reaching the pillar that follows it, then he returns to it and performs it. Then he completes his prayer and makes Al Tasleem then he
prostrates for forgetfulness, and makes Al Tasleem... If
however, he remembers it after reaching the pillar that
follows it, then it is cancelled, so he should not go back to it but should continue his prayer and then prostrate for forgetfulness before making Al Tasleem.

It was narrated that Mughirah bin Shu’bah said: “ The prophet, peace be upon him, said said: *‘If anyone of you stands after two Rak’a, if he has not yet stood up fully, let him sit down again, but if he has stoodupfully, then let him not sit down, and let him perform two prostrations for forgetfulness ( Sujuoud Al Sahw).’*”. Sunan Ibn Majah

It should be pointed out, however, that there is no distinction between a man who is closer to standing, or a man who sits down, but as is apparent: "A man, before he is leveled up, if he remembers he sits down even if he is near standing.

[أم أبي التراب]

*The Sunnah*... if someone
===========

leaves one of the prayer sunnahs, whether deliberately or not, this doesn't affect the validity of prayer.... The prophet, peace be upon him, left the second Tasleem and didn't perform Sujuoud Al Sahw.

*عن عائشة، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يسلم في الصلاة تسليمة واحدة تلقاء وجهه يميل إلى الشق الأيمن شيئا*.

Aishah narrated: The prophet, peace be upon him, would say one Tasleem for the Salat while facing forward and turning to his right side a little." Jami' Al Tirmizi.

THE PRAYER PILLARS...
====================

1- Al Takbeer for Al Ihram.
2- Standing for the capable in the Fard (obligatory prayer).
3- reciting Al Fatiha in all the Rak'ats.

4- Kneeling.
5- Tranquility in Kneeling.
6- Standing up after Kneeling.
7- Tranquility in Standing up.
8- Prostrations.
9- Tranquility in Prostrations.
10- Sitting after the first Prostration.
11- Tranquility in Sitting.
12- The last Tashahud.
13- Saying, God’s Blessings and Peace Be Upon Mohammed.
14- The first Tasleem.

THE PRAYERS WAJIBAAT..
======================

1- Saying Allahu-Akbar between movements in A- Salah, and saying: "Sami'Allahu liman hamidah" (Allah hears those who praise) after Kneeling.
2- The first Tashahud.

THE PRAYERS SUNNAN..
====================

The prayers sunnan are what to be said and what to acted.

What to be said like:
================

1- The opening supplication.
2- Al-Istiaaza, which means "I seek shelter in Allah from the rejected Satan.”
3- Saying Ameen after Al Fatiha.
4- Reciting Quran after Al Fatiha in the first two Rak'at and it is also sunnah to recite in the other of Rak'at.
5- Al Tasbeeh in Kneeling and Prostrations.
6- After saying : "Sami'Allahu liman hamidah" (Allah hears those who praise), after Kneeling, it is likable to say anything more but it ought to be sunnah.
7- Saying supplication between the two prostrations.
8- After the first Tashahud, we say God’s Blessings and Peace Be Upon Mohammed.
" Which is the salah ala al rasoul ", as the prophet did.
9- Saying supplication after the first and second Tashahud.
10- The Second Tasleem.

What to be acted like:
==================

1- Raising hands while Takbeer Al Ihram, and also while Kneeling, and after Kneeling. Also after the first Tashahud. Sometimes also after lowering and lifting .
2- Putting the right hand over the left one on the chest.
3- Looking to the prostrations place.
4- Manners of Kneeling, the back position, putting hands on knees...
5- Hands preceding knees while lowering to perform prostrations.
6- To do the sunnah while performing prostrations; making hands apart from each others till the whiteness of his armpits appear, making the fingers close to each other, making the fingers and hands headed to the qibla and the position of the heels.
7- Al Iftirash.
8- Sitting for rest after the second prostrations,; galsit al istiraha.
9- To lean on the ground when standing up from the rak'a.
10- Tawarok.
11- To sit between the two prostrations either iqa'e or iftirash .

[أم أبي التراب]

KINDS OF SAHW

The prostration of forgetfulness (sujood ul-sahw) is required whenever one inadvertently adds extraneous parts or misses parts or is in doubt regarding parts of the arkaan (essential pillars) of the prayer .

WHEN SUJUOUD AL SAHW SHOULD BE DONE.

With regard to when the prostration of forgetfulness should be done, before or after the salaam, there is a great difference of opinion among the scholars to settle what is the best thing, as both, before or after are right.

The most correct view is that if a person does something extra in the prayer by mistake, the prostration must be done after the salaam, and if he omits something then he should do the prostration before the salaam. If he is not sure then it is subject to further discussion. If one thing seems more likely to him than the other then he should do the prostration after the salaam, and if neither seems more likely then he should do the prostration before the salaam.

FIRST... IF SOMEONE FORGETS ANY OF THE PRAYER PILLARS

If anyone forgets anything of the prayer pillars, deliberately or not, even if he forgets Takbeer Al Ihram, his prayer is invalid. But if anyone forgets any pillar of prayer in any rak'a and goes to the next rak'a, then this rak'a is invalid, i.e. it is omitted and the rak'a after it replaces it.

[أم أبي التراب]

Other example, if someone forgets the second sujoud in the first rak'a and he lifted for the second rak'a, he lowers down and makes the second sujoud then he completes his prayer and make Tasleem, then Sujuoud Al Sahw (prostrations of forgetfulness), then another Tasleem.

FORGETTING AL WAJIBAAT
=======================

If anyone leaves one of the Wajibaat delibrately, then his prayer is invalid. If he remembers it immidiately, he performs it, and if he remembers before he reaches the other rukn, he returns and performs it, then he completes his prayer and makes Tasleem and then sujuoud al sahw. If he remembers it after reaching the next rukn he completes his prayer and performs sujoud al sahw before Al Tasleem.

EXAMPLE
=========
Someone while lifting to the third rak'a he remembers that he forgot the first Tashahud , so he sits down and makes the Tashahud, and completes his prayer without making sujoud al sahw.. If he remembers before standing, he sits down and makes Tashahud, completes his prayer, then makes Tasleem, then makes sujoud al sahw....If he stood up, he completes his prayer, makes sujoud al sahw after Al Tasleem.

النبيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ صَلَّى بهِمُ الظَّهْرَ، فَقَامَ في الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ الأُولَيَيْنِ لَمْ يَجْلِسْ، فَقَامَ النَّاسُ معهُ حتَّى إذَا قَضَى الصَّلَاةَ وانْتَظَرَ النَّاسُ تَسْلِيمَهُ كَبَّرَ وهو جَالِسٌ، فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أنْ يُسَلِّمَ، ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ.

The prophet, peace be upon him, stood up for the Zuhr prayer and he should have sat (after the second raka but he stood up for the third raka without sitting for Tashahud) and when he finished the prayer he performed two prostrations and said Takbeer on each prostration while sitting, before ending (the prayer) with Tasleem; and the people too performed the two prostrations with him instead of the sitting he forgot.” Sahih Bukhari.


This Hadith shows us:

It is obligatory to perform Sujuoud Al Sahw if anyone leaves the first Tashahud.

The first Tashahud is not rukn(pillar), as if anyone forgets any rukn, he should make this rukn, then makes sujoud al sahw...

One sujoud al sahw is sufficient for more than one
forgetfulness. As in the last example; the prophet forgot sitting down and Al Tashahud.

If the Imam forgets anything and performed sujoud al sahw the people who follow him should perform also sujoud al sahw like him, though he was the one who forgot .

It is important to follow the Imam, as the prophet, peace be upon him, consented them when they followed him and left sujuoud like him .

[أم أبي التراب]

SECOND...IF SOMEONE INCREASES ANYTHING IN THE PRAYER.

If anyone increases anything in his prayer; sujoud, kiam, rukoe (kneeling), deliberately then his prayer is invalid. But if he increases it unintentionally, his prayer is right, only he has to perform Sujuoud Al Sahw. If he remembers the increase, he gets back and performs sujoud al sahw...

EXAMPLE
Some prayed al zuhr five rak'at, while praying the fifth rak'a he remembers, so he has to sit down, performs Al Tashahud, then makes sujoud al sahw. If he remembers in Al Tashahud, he completes it then he makes Al Tasleem, then makes sujoud al sahw. If he remembers after Al Tashahud, he makes Al Tasleem then sujoud al sahw.. if he remembers after Al Tasleem he makes sujoud al sahw.

: عن عبد الله بن مسعود ـ رضي الله عنه " أنَّ رَسولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ صَلَّى الظُّهْرَ خَمْسًا، فقِيلَ له: أَزِيدَ في الصَّلَاةِ؟ فَقالَ: وما ذَاكَ؟ قالَ: صَلَّيْتَ خَمْسًا، فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ ما سَلَّمَ.

Abdullah Ibn Masoud narrated that the prophet, peace be upon him, prayed Al Zuhr five rak'at, his companions asked him whether the prayer has increased you prayed five rak'at, he performed sujoud al sahw after Al Tasleem.

AL TASLEEM BEFORE COMPLETING THE PRAYER

Making Al Tasleem before completing the prayer is increasing in the prayer.
If anyone makes Al Tasleem delibrately before completing the prayer, his prayer is invalid. If he forgets and remembers after a while , he should repeat his prayer... If he remembers in a short time, for example two or three minutes, he completes his prayer, makes sujoud al sahw after Al Tasleem.

فعن أبي هريرة قال :"صَلَّى لَنَا رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلَّمَ صَلَاةَ العَصْرِ، فَسَلَّمَ في رَكْعَتَيْنِ، فَقَامَ ذُو اليَدَيْنِ فَقالَ: أقُصِرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ يا رَسولَ اللهِ، أمْ نَسِيتَ؟ فَقالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلَّمَ: كُلُّ ذلكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ فَقالَ: قدْ كانَ بَعْضُ ذلكَ، يا رَسولَ اللهِ، فأقْبَلَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلَّمَ علَى النَّاسِ فَقالَ: أصَدَقَ ذُو اليَدَيْنِ؟ فَقالوا: نَعَمْ، يا رَسولَ اللهِ، فأتَمَّ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلَّمَ ما بَقِيَ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ، ثُمَّ سَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ، وهو جَالِسٌ، بَعْدَ التَّسْلِيمِ.."

Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet led us in the Asr prayer and finished it with Tasleem. Dhul-Yadain said to him, "O Allah's Apostle! Has the prayer been reduced?" The Prophet asked his companions in the affirmative. So the prophet offered two more rakat and then performed two prostrations (of Sahw).

This Hadith shows us:
1- That if anyone thought that he had completed the prayer, when it is not completed, he could complete it.

2- Conforming sujoud al sahw, and it is two prostrations , it has Tasleem and it doesn't have Tashahud.

3- It shows also that moving in the prayer doesn't make the prayer invalid, also talking, if they are unintentionally.

4- Any movement, out of the prayer movements, also doesn't invalidate the prayer if it is done by an ignorant one.

5- Only one Sujuoud Al Sahw is sufficient for repeated forgetfulness , as the prophet did.


There's Sahw by exceedance, which is Al Tasleem, he has to make Al Tasleem again to complete his prayer, and Sahw by decrease , which is praying Al Asr two rak'at instead of four.

Sheikh Al Othaimeen said in his short message of Sujuoud Al Sahw:
If the Imam made Al Tasleem before completing his prayer, then he remembered, and stood to compensate what he forgot, the people praying after him, who were praying what they missed, has the choice whether they complete what they missed and perform Sujuoud Al Sahw or follow the Imam, then pray what they missed and then perform Sujuoud Al Sahw... The last choice is preferable

[أم أبي التراب]

There's Sahw by exceedance, which is Al Tasleem, he has to make Al Tasleem again to complete his prayer, and Sahw by decrease , which is praying Al Asr two rak'at instead of four.

Sheikh Al Othaimeen said in his short message of Sujuoud Al Sahw:
If the Imam made Al Tasleem before completing his prayer, then he remembered, and stood to compensate what he forgot, the people praying after him, who were praying what they missed, has the choice whether they complete what they missed and perform Sujuoud Al Sahw or follow the Imam, then pray what they missed and then perform Sujuoud Al Sahw... The last choice is preferable.

THIRD..DOUBT.
=============

Doubt is to be hesitant, which thing has occurred.

We don't pay attention to doubt in three cases:

1- If it's illusion, and not real like obsessives.

2- If it is repeated by someone that it is occurred in all Eibadat.

3- If it occurs after the prayer, one should not pay attention to it except if he is sure of it, then he acts according to what he is sure.

EXAMPLE
=========
One prayed Al Zuhr , then after he had finished he doubted whether he had prayed three or four rak'at, he doesn't pay attention to this, except if he was sure that he prayed three rak'at, so he completes his prayer and perform Sujuoud Al Sahw.

But for these three cases, doubt is considered.

In the prayer doubt has two cases:

THE FIRST CASE..to be sure of one of the two possibilities, then he acts according to it, completes his prayer, performs Al Tasleem, then performs Sujuoud Al Sahw.

EXAMPLE
=========
Someone prayed Al Zuhr then he doubted whether this rak'a is the second or third one, but he oscilated that it's the third, so he makes it the third , then prays the fourth rak'a, performs Sujuoud Al Sahw, then performs Al Tasleem.

Abdullah Ibn Masoud narrated that the prophet, peace be upon him, said if anyone has doubts in his prayer he sees what is right, and completes his prayer according to it, performs Al Tasleem, then performs Sujuoud Al Sahw. Sahih Abi Dawood.


THE SECOND CASE...if someone isn't sure of anything, then he completes his prayer according to the less, (al yaqeen), and performs Sujuoud Al Sahw before Al Tasleem.

EXAMPLE
=========

عن أبي سعيد الخدري ـ رضي الله عنه ـ أن النبي ـ صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم ـ قال " إذا شَكَّ أحَدُكُمْ في صَلاتِهِ، فَلَمْ يَدْرِ كَمْ صَلَّى ثَلاثًا أمْ أرْبَعًا، فَلْيَطْرَحِ الشَّكَّ ولْيَبْنِ علَى ما اسْتَيْقَنَ، ثُمَّ يَسْجُدُ سَجْدَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أنْ يُسَلِّمَ، فإنْ كانَ صَلَّى خَمْسًا شَفَعْنَ* له صَلاتَهُ، وإنْ كانَ صَلَّى إتْمامًا لأَرْبَعٍ كانَتا * تَرْغِيمًا لِلشَّيْطانِ".

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported: The Prophet, peace be upon him said: When any one of you is in doubt about his prayer and he does Dot know how much he has prayed, three or four (rak'at). he should cast aside his doubt and base his prayer on what he is sure of. then perform two prostrations before giving Al Tasleem.. Sahih Moslem.

If he has prayed five rak'at, they will make his prayer an even number for him, and if he has prayed exactly four, they will be humiliation for the devil

[أم أبي التراب]

A BENEFIT..
==========

If someone has doubts and made as in the previous example, then he became sure that there is no increase or decrease in his prayer, he doesn't have to perform Sujuoud Al Sahw , as he became sure that his prayer is complete. Others say he has to perform Sujuoud Al Sahw to humilate the devil, and because he had doubts in part of his prayer. And this the most preferred.

EXAMPLE
========

Someone prayed and doubted whether this rak'a is the second or the third, then he made it the second and completed his prayer, but after that he discovered that it's really the second:
The first opinion: he has no Sujoud Al sahw. This is correct.
The second opinion: he has to perform Sujuoud Al Sahw which is the most preferred.

If the Imam forgets, the people praying after him (ma'momeen), should follow him in Sujuoud Al Sahw.

If the Imam forgets, the people praying after him should follow him in Sujuoud Al Sahw, even if they didn't forget.

إنَّما جُعِلَ الإمَامُ لِيُؤْتَمَّ به، فلا تَخْتَلِفُوا عليه، فَإِذَا رَكَعَ، فَارْكَعُوا، وإذَا قالَ: سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَن حَمِدَهُ، فَقُولوا: رَبَّنَا لكَ الحَمْدُ، وإذَا سَجَدَ فَاسْجُدُوا، وإذَا صَلَّى جَالِسًا، فَصَلُّوا جُلُوسًا أجْمَعُونَ، وأَقِيمُوا الصَّفَّ في الصَّلَاةِ، فإنَّ إقَامَةَ الصَّفِّ مِن حُسْنِ الصَّلَاةِ"

The prophet, peace be upon him, said, "The Imam is to be followed; say Takbir when he says it; bow when he bows; rise when he rises and when he says "Sami`a l-lahu liman hamidah," say, "Rabbana wa laka l-hamd", and prostrate if he prostrates...Sit like him if he sits in his prayer, and straighten your rows as the straightening of rows is essential for a perfect and correct prayer. Al Bukhari.

The people following the Imam (Ma'momeen) follow him whether he performed Sujuoud Al Sahw before or after Al Tasleem. But if the Imam performed Sujuoud Al Sahw after Al Tasleem, the followers, who missed some of the prayer and compensated it, couldn't follow him, they perform Al Tasleem then perform Sujuoud Al Sahw.

EXAMPLE
=========

If someone entered the prayer while the Imam is giving the fourth rak'a, and the Imam has to perform Sujuoud Al Sahw after Al Tasleem, then this person completes his prayer, performs Al Tasleem, then perform Sujuoud Al Sahw.

A QUESTION
===========

If the Imam sees that Sujuoud Al Sahw is not obligatory and the Ma'mom (the one following the Imam) sees it's obligatory;
does the Ma'mom have to perform Sujuoud Al Sahw?

As in the first Tashahud, some scholars say it's sunnah, as Al Shaf'y, and it doesn't need Sujuoud Al Sahw.. The answer is No, because the Ma'mom has to follow his Imam.

There's argument between scholars, if the Imam has to perform Sujuoud Al Sahw and he didn't perform it, the Ma'momeen made Al Tasbeeh to remind him, some say that the Ma'momeen have to perform Sujuoud Al Sahw as the prayer is deficient and they have to complete it. Others say that they have to follow the Imam..

If the Ma'mom forgets while praying after the Imam, he shouldn't perform Sujuoud Al Sahw, and the Imam bears the forgetfulness as most of the scholars said including the four Imams and others.

The Prophet 's companions used to forget while praying after the prophet, peace be upon him, if they were alone, they would perform Sujuoud Al Sahw but while praying after the prophet, they didn't perform it.. If they did it, they would transform it to us.. This is proved by the Hadeeth of Mu'awiya Ibn Al Hakam Al Salami who talked unintentionally in his prayer after the prophet and the prophet didn't ask him to perform Sujuoud Al Sahw.

Sheikh Ibn Al Othaimeen said that if the Ma'mom forgets anything in his prayer, he doesn't perform Sujuoud Al Sahw because he has to follow his Imam. The prophet's companions left the first Tashahud, when the prophet forgot it, and this to follow their Imam.

If the Ma'mom missed something in his prayer after the Imam or in what he prayed to compensate his prayer, he should perform Sujuoud Al Sahw either before or after Al Tasleem as we previously mentioned.

EXAMPLE
=========
Ma'mom forgot to say Sami'Allahu liman hamidah, he didn't miss any rukn, he has no Sujoud Al sahw, but if he forgot any rak'a or more he should perform it, then perform Sujuoud Al Sahw before Al Tasleem. Ibn Al Othaimeen.

[أم أبي التراب]

A BENEFIT
=========
If the Ma'mom has forgot two times, one needs Sujuoud Al Sahw before Al Tasleem and one after it, it is preferable to perform it before Al Tasleem. Al Othaimeen.

If he recites Quraan while Kneeling or prostrating unintentionally, is it obligatory to perform Sujuoud Al Sahw or is it sunnah?

Most of the scholars said it is not obligatory.

Mistakes of common people in prayer
=======================

Some people say "subhan he who doesn't forget or sleep" in Sujuoud Al Sahw. This saying has no evidence is Al Share (religion).

The prophet, peace be upon him, didn't say anything in Sujuoud Al Sahw, but he said the prayer usual zikr.
Saying "subhan he who doesn't forget or sleep", wasn't said by the prophet or any of his companions, and is not in sunnah. This was said by one of the mystics, he saw it in his dream, so we don't have to say it.. we should follow the right sunnah books.

Some leave Sujuoud Al Sahw, which is after Al Tasleem , if he forgets it .
Some jurists said, if there is along period of time, he doesn't perform Sujuoud Al Sahw .
Others said one should perform it as long as he still in the Mosque .
Others said he doesn't have to do it in both cases.

Ahmed said that he should do it if he left the Mosque and became away from it.
Determining time or place is not in share (religion).. Sheikh Al Islam said this also.