The Rulings of Sajdah Tilaawat For Qur'an Reciters, Students, And Teachers

In the Holy Qur’an, there are fourteen verses of prostration. According to the Hanafi school of thought, the recitation of any one of these verses renders Sajdah Tilaawat Waajib (compulsory). It is stated in Durr e Mukhtaar:

Translation: Sajdah Tilaawat becomes Waajib (compulsory) due to the recitation of a verse, and these are fourteen verses. And in Ghunyah it is stated:

Translation: When a person recites a verse of prostration, performing the prostration becomes compulsory upon him. Sajdah Tilaawat is compulsory upon every person upon whom Salaah is obligatory. As it is mentioned in Fataawa Khaaniyah:

Translation: Sajdah Tilaawat becomes Waajib upon a person upon whom Salaah is obligatory, if he recites or hears a verse of prostration (Aayat e Sajdah). (Fataawa Razviyyah Shareef, Volume 8, Page 224/Raza Foundation, Lahore) It is stated in Fataawa Shaami:

Translation: That is, Sajdah Tilaawat is compulsory upon one who is legally qualified for the obligation of Salaah, because this prostration is also considered a part of Salaah. Under this, Hazrat Allamah Shaami Alaihir Rahmah writes:

Translation: Eligibility for the obligation of Salaah is a condition for the obligation of Sajdah Tilaawat, such as being Muslim, sane, mature, and being free from menstruation and postnatal bleeding.(Fataawa Shaami, Volume 3, Page 148, Book Of Salaah, Chapter of Sajdah Tilaawat/Zia-ul-Qur'an Publications, Lahore)

From the above it becomes clear that Sajdah Tilaawat does not become compulsory upon minor children due to their recitation or hearing of a verse of prostration. However, teachers in Islamic Madrasas and Darul Uloom should continually encourage minors to perform it and teach them its method, so that proper training is imparted and the practice becomes habitual. It should also be noted that if a minor recites a verse of prostration and a mature, legally accountable adult hears it, the ruling differs as follows: If the child is discerning i.e. understanding (Mumayyiz) and understands what he is reciting, then Sajdah Tilaawat becomes Waajib (compulsory) upon the adult listener. If the child is non-discerning (Ghair Mumayyiz), then Sajdah Tilaawat will not be Waajib upon the adult listener.

This is stated in Fataawa Shaami:

Translation: If the children are discerning, then hearing a verse of prostration from them makes Sajdah Tilaawat compulsory; otherwise, it does not. (Fataawa Shaami, Volume 3, Page 149, Book Of Salaah, Chapter of Sajdah Tilaawat/Zia-ul-Qur'an Publications, Lahore) It should be remembered that if the same verse of prostration is recited multiple times in one sitting, only one Sajdah becomes compulsory. However, if the sitting changes, for example, one was standing and then sat down,

or vice versa then a new sitting is established, and another Sajdah becomes compulsory. This applies when the same verse is repeated in one sitting. But if different verses of prostration are heard in one sitting, then a Sajdah is compulsory for each verse. Thus, if all fourteen verses of prostration are heard in one sitting, fourteen prostrations will be compulsory. Teachers in Islamic Madrasas and Darul Uloom bear the responsibility of observing this themselves and strongly emphasising it to their students, so that no negligence occurs. It must also be remembered that the term “verse” refers to the entire verse of prostration. As stated in Sharh e Niqaayah:

Translation: What is meant by a verse of prostration is the complete verse; if a person recites the verse of prostration but omits its final letter, then the prostration will not be compulsory. (Fataawa Razviyyah Shareef, Volume 8, Page 224/Raza Foundation, Lahore) Islamic teachers should also caution students that deliberately attempting to avoid Sajdah Tilaawat by such means is a matter of great deprivation and misfortune. The Sunnah method is that one should say “Allahu Akbar” without raising the hands and go into prostration. In the prostration, one should say “Subhaana Rabbiyal Aʿla” at least three times, then say “Allahu Akbar” and rise from the prostration. There is no Tashahhud and no Salaam in Sajdah Tilaawat. It is recommended

to go into prostration from a standing position while saying Allahu Akbar and then stand up again afterward. However, if one performs the prostration while sitting, by saying Allahu Akbar, and then continues recitation or another activity while seated, there is no harm in that. It is stated in Fataawa Hindiyyah:

Translation: When one intends to perform the prostration, he should say the Takbeer without raising the hands, then prostrate, then say the Takbeer again and raise his head. There is neither Tashahhud nor Salaam in this prostration, as mentioned in Hidaayah. In the prostration he should say “Subhaana Rabbiyal Aʿla” three times, not less than that, as in the obligatory Salaah. This is mentioned in Khulaasah, and this is the correct opinion. It is also stated in Fataawa Qaazi Khan. (Fataawa Hindiyyah, Volume 1, Page 149, Chapter of Sajdah Tilaawat/Darul Kutbul Ilmiyyah, Beirut) And it is also stated in Fataawa Shaami:

Translation: Sajdah Tilaawat consists of a single prostration between two Takbeers. Saying these two Takbeers aloud is Sunnah. Going into prostration from a standing position and

returning to standing is recommended. There is no raising of the hands, no Tashahhud, and no Salaam. According to the soundest narration, the Tasbeeh of prostration is to be recited therein. (Fataawa Shaami, Volume 3, Page 147, Book of Salaah, Chapter of Sajdah Tilaawat/Zia-ul-Qur'an Publications, Lahore)