[Q 363] Guidelines for Muqtadi in Sajdah Sahw

Question

If the Imam performs sajdah sahw and says salaam during congregational prayer, what is the ruling for the muqtadi? Should they also say salaam, or should they go into sajdah with the Imam without saying salaam? Kindly provide guidance.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

When the Imam performs sajdah sahw during a congregational prayer, the followers who joined the Imam from the first rak’ah must follow the Imam in both the salaam and the prostrations. However, a masbooq (latecomer) should only follow the Imam in the sajdah sahw prostrations and not in the salaam. It is not permissible for the masbooq to say the salaam with the Imam during sajdah sahw. If a masbooq deliberately says salaam with the Imam, thinking that he must do so, his prayer will become invalid, and he will need to repeat it. However, if the masbooq says salaam mistakenly, whether immediately with the Imam or afterward, the prayer will remain valid, and sajdah sahw will not be required, because the masbooq is still following the Imam, and mistakes made by a follower behind the Imam do not affect the prayer.

Note: The term “mistakenly” does not mean that the person was unaware of the ruling but rather that they knew the correct ruling but forgot it during the prayer.

It is stated in Fatawa Hindiyyah:

(ومنها) أنه يتابع الإمام في السهو ولا يتابعه في التسليم والتكبير والتلبية فإن تابعه في التسليم والتلبية فسدت وإن تابعه في التكبير وهو يعلم أنه مسبوق لا تفسد صلاته وإليه مال شمس الأئمة السرخسي. كذا في الظهيرية والمراد من التكبير تكبير التشريق. كذا في البحر الرائق

(Fatawa Hindiyyah, vol. 1, p. 92)

Allama Ibn Nujaym Misri (رحمه الله تعالى) states:

ومن أحكامه أنه يتابعه في السهو ولا يتابعه في التسليم والتكبير والتلبية فإن تابعه في التسليم والتلبية فسدت صلاته، وإن تابعه في التكبير وهو يعلم أنه مسبوق لا تفسد صلاته وإليه مال شمس الأئمة السرخسي كذا في الظهيرية. والمراد من التكبير تكبير التشريق

(Bahr al-Ra’iq, vol. 1, p. 403)

Sayyidi Imam Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi (رحمه الله تعالى) says:

“A masbooq should follow the Imam only in the sajdah, not in the salaam. If he deliberately follows in salaam, even out of ignorance, thinking that he must follow the Imam in salaam, his prayer will be invalid. However, if he mistakenly says salaam, his prayer will not be invalidated.”

(Fatawa Razawiyyah Sharif, vol. 7, p. 239)

Answered by: Mubashir Attari (AskMufti Scholar)
Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari
Translated answer
Date: 17th October 2024