1054. A person should perform two sujÙd after rukÙ in every rak‘ah of the obligatory and recommended prayers. SujÙd is to place one’s forehead on the ground with the intention of humility.
It is obligatory to place the palms, the knees, and the big toes on the ground in the sujÙd of prayer.
1055. The two sujÙd combined, form one pillar of prayer. If in a rak’a, a person deliberately or forgetfully omits both sujÙd or performs two additional sujÙd, his prayer is invalid.
1056. If a person deliberately omits a sujÙd or performs an additional one, his prayer is invalid. The rulings for a person who does so inadvertently shall be elaborated later.
1057. If a person deliberately or inadvertently does not place his forehead on the ground, he has not performed sujÙd, even if the other bodily parts may have contacted the ground. However, if a person places his forehead on the ground, but omits inadvertently placing the other bodily parts on the ground, or inadvertently omits the dhikr, his sujÙd is valid.
1058. Unless one is compelled, it is obligatory to recite either
سُبْحانَ اللَّه (Subhaan'Allah) three times or سُبْحانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلى وَ بِحَمْدِهِ (Subhaana rabbiyal a'ala wa bihamdeh) ({^ Glory be to my Lord, the exalted and He do I praise^}). once or any dhikr that it is equal to it in length, in sujÙd. Recommended precaution dictates that the aforementioned tasbÐÎ should be given precedence over dhikr in general. The words of dhikr should be recited in close succession and in correct Arabic. It is recommended thatسُبْحانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلى وَ بِحَمْدِهِ be recited three, five, seven or more times.
1059. One should maintain bodily composure while reciting the obligatory dhikr in sujÙd. Obligatory precaution dictates that one’s body should similarly be composed while reciting the recommended dhikr, if it is recited with the intention of the dhikr of sujÙd.
1060. If before one’s forehead makes contact with the ground, or before his body gains composure, he deliberately recites the dhikr of sujÙd, or deliberately raises his head from sujÙd prior to completing its dhikr, his prayer is invalid, unless he excusable for his ignorance, in which case his prayer is valid in both the aforementioned assumptions.
1061. If a person inadvertently recites the dhikr of sujÙd before his forehead contacts the ground, but realizes his mistake prior to raising his head from sujÙd, he should repeat the dhikr while his body is composed.
1062. If after raising his head from sujÙd, a person realizes that he raised his head from sujÙd prior to completing its dhikr, his prayer is valid.
1063. If a person deliberately raises one of the seven parts of the body while reciting the dhikr of sujÙd, his prayer is invalid if he is culpable for his ignorance. However, there is no problem if he raises the body parts, other than the forehead, and places them again on the ground, while he is not reciting dhikr.
1064. If a person inadvertently raises his forehead from the ground before completing the dhikr of sujÙd, he should not place it on the ground again, and should deem it as one sujÙd. However, if he inadvertently raises the other body parts from the ground, he should once again place them on the ground, and recite the dhikr.
1065. After completing the dhikr of the first sujÙd, one should sit up, maintain bodily composure and then proceed to the second sujÙd.
1066. The place where the forehead is placed should not be four closed fingers higher or lower than the tips of the toes. Obligatory precaution dictates that it should similarly not be four closed fingers higher or lower than the knees.
1067. Obligatory precaution dictates that if a person prays on a sloped ground, the slope of which is unknown, and the place where the forehead is placed is four closed fingers higher or lower than the place where the tips of the toes and the knees are placed, his prayer is invalid.
1068. If a person mistakenly places his forehead on an area that is four closed fingers higher than the tips of his toes, and if it is elevated to an extent that his posture is no longer deemed sujÙd, he should raise his head and place it on something that is not high, or its height is to the measure of four closed fingers or less. If it is elevated to an extent that it is still deemed sujÙd, he should pull his forehead onto something, the height of which is to the measure of four closed fingers or less. If it is not possible to pull his forehead onto something lower, obligatory precaution dictates that he should complete his prayer and pray again.
1069. There should be nothing separating the forehead and the thing on which sujÙd is performed. Therefore, if the turbah is dirty to a degree that the forehead no longer makes contact with it, the sujÙd will be invalid. However, there is no problem if the colour of the turbah has changed.
1070. A person should place his palms on the ground during sujÙd. In the event that he is compelled, he may place the back of his hands on the ground. If he is unable to do that, obligatory precaution dictates that he should place his wrists on the ground. If this too is not possible, he should place any part of his arm, up to his elbow on the ground. However, if that too is not possible, he should place his arms on the ground.
1071. A person should place the big toes on the ground, though the recommended precaution is that he should place the tips of the toes on the ground. If the other toes, or the upper surface of the foot is placed on the ground, or the big toe does not contact the ground due to long nails, his prayer will be invalid. If a person offered his prayer in the aforementioned manner, he should repeat his prayer if he is culpable for his ignorance. However, if he is excusable for his ignorance, his prayer will be valid.
1072. If a person’s big toe is partially severed, he should place the remaining part of it on the ground. In the event that it is entirely severed, or the remaining part is extremely short in length, obligatory precaution dictates that the other toes should be placed on the ground. If one has no toes, he should place whatever is remaining of his feet on the ground.
1073. If a person performs sujÙd in an unusual manner, such as affixing the chest and stomach to the ground, or stretching the feet, obligatory precaution dictates that he should repeat his prayer, even if the aforementioned seven parts of the body made contact with the ground.
1074. The turbah or any other item that is utilized for sujÙd should be ÔÁhir. However, there is no problem if the ground on which the turbah is placed, or a portion of the turbah itself is najis, so long as the forehead is placed on the ÔÁhir portion.
1075. If there is a boil or something similar on one’s forehead, the unaffected part of it should be placed on the ground. However, if that is not possible, one should make a small hole in the thing on which sujÙd is valid, and place the boil inside the cavity, while placing the required portion of the unaffected part on it. Recommended precaution dictates that the cavity should be in the ground.
1076. Obligatory precaution dictates that if a boil or wound has covered the entire forehead, one of the two sides of the forehead and the chin should be placed on the ground, even if it necessitates the repetition of prayer. If it is not possible to place both on the ground, only the chin should be placed on it. If it is not possible to place the chin either, sujÙd should be performed by means of signaling.
1077. If a person is unable to make the forehead contact the ground, he should bow to the degree he can, place the turbah, or any other object on which sujÙd is valid on an elevated object, and place the forehead on it in manner that it is said he has performed sujÙd. In such a case, the palms, knees and big toes should be placed on the ground in their usual manner.
1078. If there is no elevated object on which the turbah or anything else on which sujÙd is valid can be placed, one should raise the turbah or the other object with his hands and perform sujÙd on it. In the event he is unable to do so, somebody else should raise it for him so he may perform sujÙd on it.
1079. If a person is unable to perform sujÙd at all, he should do so by means of signaling with the head. If he cannot signal with the head, he should signal with the eyes. If that is not possible either, he should pass the intention through his mind and recite its dhikr.
1080. If the forehead involuntarily rises from sujÙd, if possible, one should prevent it from reaching the place of sujÙd again, and this shall be deemed as one sujÙd, regardless of whether he recited its dhikr or not. If he is unable to prevent it, and it involuntarily contacts the place of sujÙd again, deeming them both one sujÙd is problematic, albeit there is certainty that at least one sujÙd was performed. Therefore, if he has not recited the dhikr, obligatory precaution dictates that he should recite it with the intention of executing that which he has been commanded, more general than the intention for an obligatory or recommended act.
1081. In the event that one must observe dissimulation (taqiyyah), he may perform sujÙd on a carpet or something similar, and it is not necessary for him to go to another place for offering his prayer. However, if he is able to perform sujÙd on a mat, or another object upon which sujÙd is valid, and is able to perform it without falling into hardship, he should abstain from performing sujÙd on carpet or anything similar to it.
1082. If sujÙd is performed on a mattress filled with feathers or another object upon which one is unable to maintain stability, it will be invalid.
1083. If a person is compelled to offer prayer on muddy ground, he should perform tashahhud and sujÙd in their conventional manner so long as staining of the clothes or the body does not cause hardship to him. If it does, one should perform tashahhud and sujÙd while standing, wherein the sujÙd is performed by means of signaling with the head, and his prayer will be valid.
