Prostration of Forgetfulness
Since 2012-11-20
Prostration of forgetfulness is two rak’at to be prostrated by a praying person to correct the mistake committed in his prayer due to forgetfulness. There are three causes for that: increasing, decreasing and doubt.
In the Name of Allâh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Prostration of forgetfulness is two rak’at to be prostrated by a praying person to correct the mistake committed in his prayer due to forgetfulness. There are three causes for that: increasing, decreasing and doubt.
Increasing
If a praying person increases in performing one of the actions of his prayer; in standing, sitting, kneeling or prostrating on purpose, his prayer is then void. If he forgets and does not remember such increasing until he salutes for finishing, he is just to prostrate for forgetfulness and his prayer is right. If he remembers increasing during prayer, he must cease to perform the action he increased in prayer. He then is obligated to perform the prostration of forgetfulness and his prayer is right.
Decreasing
Decreasing in pillars:
If a praying person decreases in performing a pillar of his prayer, if it is the saying of “Allah is the Greatest” at the beginning of prayer, his prayer is void whether it is on purpose or unintentionally, as his prayer has not begun.
If it is another pillar other than that, if he left performing it on purpose, his prayer is void. If he forgets it, so if he starts the following rak’a, the rak’a in which he forgets the pillar is considered cancelled and the following one replaces it. If he has not yet started the following rak’a, he must perform the left pillar along with the actions that follow it. In both cases, he should perform prostration of forgetfulness after salutation for finishing the prayer.
Doubt
That is to be in doubt between two things: which one has happened. Doubt is neglected in the acts of worships in three cases:
The first: if it is mere illusions that have no basis such as obsession.
The second: if it is frequently repeated with a person, that he does not perform any act of worship but that such doubt occurs.
The third: if it is after finishing the act of worship. If so, one does not pay any attention to it unless he is certain, so he acts according to his certainty.
Tip
If the imam forgets, a follower praying person should follow him in performing the prostration of forgetfulness, unless he is a masbûq (one who misses a part of the congregational prayer but follows the Imam. After the Imam finishes the prayer, this person continues without salutation to complete what he missed from the prayer). The masbûq is not to follow the imam in performing it, as this is impracticable.
Prostration of forgetfulness has two positions:
1- Before salutation: which is in the case of decreasing, or the case of doubt without considering more probable a matter over the other; that he does not know whether he prayed three or four rak’at.
2- After salutation: this in the case of increasing or in the case of doubt but that a matter is more probable than the other.
Prostration of forgetfulness after salutation is in two cases:
The Pillars of Prayer
They are not to be neglected whether on purpose or unintentionally. They are fourteen pillars that must be performed:
1- Standing.
2- Saying “Allah is the greatest” at the beginning of prayer.
3- Reciting Surat Al-Fâtihah.
4- Kneeling.
5- Drawing oneself up from kneeling.
6- Prostrating on the seven limbs (the forehead along with the tip of nose), both hands, both knees, and (toes of) both feet.)
7- Drawing oneself up from prostration.
8- Sitting between the two prostrations.
9- Tranquility in all pillars.
10-The last tashahhud.
11-Sitting for the last tashahhud.
12-Asking Allah to send His prayers and blessing upon the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) according to the Ibrahimi prayer.
13-Performing such pillars in order.
14-Salutation.
The Obligations of Prayers:
If they are neglected on purpose, the prayer is void; but in case of mistake, they are to be corrected by the prostration of forgetfulness.
They are eight obligations:
1- Saying, “Allah is the Greatest” (except the one said at the beginning of prayer as it is a pillar).
2- Saying, “Allah heard to the one who praised Him” for both the imam and the one who prays alone.
3- Saying, “O our Lord, praise be to You.”
4- Saying, “Glory be to my Lord the Great” (once during kneeling).
5- Saying, “Glory be to my Lord the Most High” (once during Prostration).
6- Saying, “O my Lord, forgive me” in the sitting between the two prostrations.
7- The first tashahhud.
8- Sitting for the first tashahhud.
Missing any of the Sunnah of prayers does not annul the prayer even if on purpose, in contradictory to the pillars and obligations.
Prepared by the Scientific Committee of the Recordings of al-Ansar
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