Ruling 1222*

In the following two situations, one must perform sajdatā al‐sahw after the salām of the prayer in a manner that will be explained later:

1. One forgets to say the entire tashahhud;
2. In a four rakʿah prayer after going into the second sajdah, one doubts whether he has performed four or five rakʿahs, or he doubts whether he has performed four or six rakʿahs, as mentioned earlier in the fourth situation in the section on valid doubts.

Also, performing sajdatā al‐sahw is necessary in three further situations, based on obligatory precaution:

1. One generally knows that he has mistakenly omitted or added something in a prayer and the prayer is ruled to be valid;
2. One inadvertently talks during prayers;
3. One says the salām of the prayer at a time when he must not; for example, in the first rakʿah he inadvertently says the salām. The recommended precaution is that if he forgets one sajdah, or when he must stand – for example, while reciting Sūrat al-Ḥamd and the other surah – he mistakenly sits down, or when he must sit – for example, while saying tashahhud – he mistakenly stands up, then in these cases, he should perform sajdatā al‐sahw. In fact, for anything that is mistakenly omitted or added in prayer, he should perform sajdatā al‐sahw. The rules of these situations will be explained in the following rulings.

• Commentary

  This ruling changed in March 2022. The previous version of the ruling was as follows:

  “In the following two situations, one must perform sajdatā al‑sahw after the salām of the prayer in a manner that will be explained later:
  1. one forgets to say tashahhud;
  2. in a four rakʿah prayer after going into the second sajdah, one doubts whether he has performed four or five rakʿahs, or he doubts whether he has performed four or six rakʿahs, as mentioned earlier in the fourth situation in the section on valid doubts.
  Also, performing sajdatā al‑sahw is necessary in three further situations, on the basis of obligatory precaution:
  1. one generally knows that he has mistakenly omitted or added something in a prayer and the prayer is ruled as being valid;
  2. one inadvertently talks during prayers;
  3. one says the salām of the prayer at a time when he must not; for example, in the first rakʿah he inadvertently says the salām. The recommended precaution is that if he forgets one sajdah, or when he must stand – for example, while reciting Sūrat al-Ḥamd and the other surah – he mistakenly sits down, or when he must sit – for example, while saying tashahhud – he mistakenly stands up, then in these cases, he should perform sajdatā al‑sahw. In fact, for anything that is mistakenly omitted or added in prayer, he should perform sajdatā al‑sahw. The rules of these situations will be explained in the following rulings.”