Does Prostration of Forgetfulness Apply to Voluntary Prayers?

30-4-2026 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalamualaikum, is Sujood as Sahw applicable to Sunnah prayers if we make mistakes?
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

The basic principle is that a person performing a voluntary prayer should perform the Prostration of Forgetfulness, just as it is prescribed for someone performing an obligatory prayer when its cause exists. Imam Al-Bukhari may Allaah have mercy upon him said: In the Chapter (Forgetfulness in Obligatory and Voluntary Prayers): “And Ibn Abbas may Allaah be pleased with them performed two prostrations after his Witr prayer.”

In Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah may Allaah have mercy upon him it is narrated from Abu Al-‘Aliyah Al-Bara’, may Alalah have mercy upon him, from Ibn Abbas may Allaah be pleased with him who said: “I saw him perform two prostrations after his Witr prayer.”

The following scholars also held the view that the prostration of forgetfulness applies in voluntary prayers: Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Sa’id ibn Jubayr, Qatadah, Al-Thawri, Malik, Al-Awza’i, Al-Shafi’i, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal may Allaah have mercy upon them. However,Ibn Sirin did not hold this view. This was reported by Ibn al-Mundhir in Al-Ishraf.

However, some scholars believe that not every reason that requires the prostration of forgetfulness in obligatory prayer also requires it in voluntary prayer, and the detailed discussion of this is extensively explained in the books of jurisprudence.

Allah Knows best.

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