Sajda Tilawah

What is sajda tilawah?

Sujud Tilawah is a single prostration which one makes after reciting certain ayahs of the Quran. These are marked with an arrow in the Quran.

Is it an obligation or a sunnah?

In the Hanafi school, sujud tilawah is wajib (obligatory). It is considered a debt which must be paid. It can be performed later, but it is regarded as a debt until then.

In the Shafi school, the sujud is considered a sunnah. Therefore you would be rewarded if you did it, but there is no sin if you did not do it.

According to the Maliki school, the prostration of recitation (sujud tilawa) is considered a sunnah, not obligatory, if one is praying a recommended (nafil) prayer. It is disliked (makruh) to recite a verse of prostration during an obligatory prayer.

How do you perform sujud tilawah?

If you are seated on the floor, you can go into sujud. If you are seated on a chair, you should stand up with the intention, face Qiblah, without raising your hands, say Allahu Akbar and go into sajdah, then recite Subhaana Rabbi’al A’laa’ (at least) 3 times while in sajdah and then rise saying Allahu Akbar. There is no need to do the salam afterwards.

What duas can you recite in sajda tilawah?

In addition to reciting Subhaana Rabbi’al A’laa’ it is more rewarding to recite other duas:
You may recite other duas conveyed from the Prophet ﷺ, such as:

✨سَجَدَ وَجْهِي لِلَّذِي خَلَقَهُ، وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ، بِحَوْلِهِ وَقُوَّتِهِ

Translation :

My face fell prostrate before He who created it and brought forth its faculties of hearing and seeing by His might and power.

✨اللَّهُمَّ اُكْتُبْ لِي بِهَا عِنْدَك أَجْرًا وَضَعْ عَنِّي بِهَا وِزْرًا وَاجْعَلْهَا لِي عِنْدَك ذُخْرًا وَتَقَبَّلْهَا مِنِّي كَمَا تَقَبَّلْتهَا مِنْ عَبْدِك دَاوُد

Translation :

Oh Allah, for this prostration write down reward for me with you, and in return for this prostration forgive my sins, and make it [the prostration] a reposit for me with you, and accept it from me like you accepted it from your slave Dawud (Allah bless him). (Tirmidhi, Ibn Khuzayma)

Do you require wudu?

In the four Sunni schools, you do. According to one Hanbali opinion you do not.

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