- Sajda-e-Sahoo (Sajda for faults)

When is Sajda-e-Sahoo Wajib ?

If those actions which are Wajib in Salaah are not performed by mistake, it is Wajib to perform the Sajda-e-Sahoo to substitute for the action missed.

 Method of performing Sajda-e-Sahoo

1) The method of performing this is, when you finish praying 'Attahiyat' in the last Qaidah, turn your head to the right side and then perform two Sajdas. Then repeat Attahiyat from the beginning and complete your Salaah.

2) If a Wajib was missed and you did not perform Sajda-e-Sahoo and completed the Salaah, then it is Wajib to repeat the Salaah.

3) If a Wajib is missed deliberately, then a to perform A Sajda-e-Sahoo would not be sufficient and therefore it would be Wajib to repeat the Salaah.

4) If any of the Fardh actions are missed, then Sajda-e-Sahoo would not compensate for them and therefore the Salaah would not count and to repeat the Salaah would be Fardh. 

Actions which by missing would not make the Sajda-e-Sahoo necessary 

1) If the actions that are Sunnah or Mustahhab in Salaah are missed, such as 'Ta'awwuz', 'Tasmee' 'Aameen', 'Takbeers when changing positions', the Tasbeehs (of Ruku and Sajdas) etc. it would not make it necessary to perform Sajda-e-Sahoo, but the Salaah would count [Radd-ul- Mohtar, Guniya]. However, it would be better to repeat it.

2) If in one Salaah many Wajibs are missed, then the two Sajdas of Sahoo would be sufficient, it is not necessary to perform a Sajda-e-Sahoo for ever Wajib missed [Radd-ul-Mohtar, etc.].

3) If in the first Qaidah after Attahiyat and before standing for the third Rakat there is a delay as long as it takes to pray 'Allahumma Salleh Ala Muhammad' then Sajda-e-Sahoo would become Wajib, whether you pray it or not, in both situations Sajda-e-Sahoo would become Wajib [Durr-e- Mukhtar, Radd-ul-Mohtar].

4) If in Qiraayat etc. at any time you start thinking and there is a gap long enough for someone to say 'Subhanallah' three times, then it would be Wajib to perform Sajda-e-Sahoo [Radd-ul-Mohtar].

5) If you think that the first Qaidah is the last Qaidah in a four Rakat Salaah and you perform Salaam and then remember and stand back up and complete the Salaah, you must perform Sajda-e- Sahoo [Alamgiri]. If you forgot to pause between actions then Sajda-e-Sahoo is Wajib [Hindiya].

6) If a Muqtadee had not completed his 'Attahiyat' and the Imam stood up for the third Rakat, it is necessary for the Muqtadee to complete his Attahiyat, regardless of whether it causes delay.

7) If the Muqtadee had not prayed the Tasbeeh in a Ruku or Sajda three times and the Imam finished it and stood up, it is necessary for the Muqtadee to stand up and not finish the rest of the Tasbeeh.

8)  If a person forgot to perform the first Qaidah and had only started standing up then he should sit back down and pray Attahiyat and the Salaah would be correct, a Sajda-e-Sahoo would not be necessary. If however, he stood up and was close to completely standing then he should stand up and continue with his Salaah and then finally perform Sajda-e-Sahoo [Shareh Waqia, Hidaaya etc].

9) If you forgot to perform the last Qaidah and had not yet performed a Sajda for the extra Rakat then you should sit back down straight away and perform Sajda-e-Sahoo. If however, you had performed a Sajda for the extra Rakat then except for Maghrib you can join another Rakat and they would all count as Nafl, because your Fardh Salaah would not count and therefore you would have to pray the Fardh Salaah again [Hidaaya, Shareh Waqia].

10) If in the last Qaidah you prayed Tasahhud and then stood back up, you should sit straight back down and as long as you have not performed a Sajda for the extra Rakat, perform Sajda-e-Sahoo and complete the Salaah. If however, you had performed a Sajda in the extra Rakat, your Fardh Salaah would still count but you should join another Rakat and then finally perform Sajda-e-Sahoo and the last two Rakats would count as Nafl, but do not join another Rakat for Maghrib Salaah [Hidaaya, Shareh Waqia].

11) If in one Rakat you performed three Sajdas or two Rukus or forgot the first Qaidah then perform Sajda-e-Sahoo.

12) Order of sequence is obligatory in Qayam, Ruku, Sajda and the last Qaidah, therefore, if you performed Ruku before you performed Qayam then this Ruku is cancelled and will not count and if then you perform another Ruku your Salaah will count otherwise it will not, and in the same way if you performed Sajda before the Ruku and then performed the Ruku and performed the Sajda again after, then the Salaah will count.

13) Order of sequence is obligatory in Qayam, Ruku, Sajda and the last Qaidah meaning, whichever is due first should be done first and whichever is due next should be done next and if this done in the wrong order then the Salaah will not count, for example, if someone performed Sajda before Ruku then their Salaah will not count, however, if they performed the Sajda again after the Ruku meaning they rectified the order of sequence again then their Salaah will count. In the same way if they perform Ruku before Qayam and they stand back in Qayam and then perform another Ruku, their Salaah will count [Radd-ul-Mohtar].

14) All Qaidahs in Nafl Salaah are counted as last Qaidahs and therefore are obligatory and so if you forgot to perform a Qaidah and stood up then as long as you have not performed a Sajda for the new Rakat sit back down and perform the Qaidah and then perform Sajda-e-Sahoo and all Wajib Salaah are in the same rule as Fardh Salaah, therefore if you forget to perform the first Qaidah of Witr then the same rule applies as a Fardh Salaah [Durr-e-Mukhtar].

15) If you forgot to pray Dua-e-Kunoot or forgot to perform the Takbeer-e-Kunoot then perform Sajda-e-Sahoo. Takbeer-e-Kunoot means the Takbeer that is said in the third Rakat after Qirat and is done and then Dua-e-Kunoot is prayed [Alamgiri].