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Fatwa CenterSujud-at-Tilawah outside Salah
Question
How can I perform "Sujud-at-Tilawah" while reading Qur'an when I am not in "Salah"? Should I begin with "Takbirat-al-Ihraam" and end with "Taslim"?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
Muslim scholars have different opinions concerning the ruling of the prostration due to the Qur'anic recitation. Majority of Muslim scholars are of the opinion that it is Sunnah; Ahnaf are of the opinion that it is mandatory. The evidence for the first opinion is that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) sometimes performed the prostration and sometimes left it. This practice proves that it is not an obligation. Imam al-Bukhari also recorded from Umar that he said: "O people, sometimes we recite the verse of Sajdah, so whoever makes a prostration he act correctly and there is no sin upon the one who does not do so" .
Some scholars stipulate purity for this prostration while others allowed performing it even without purity. The reason for this disagreement is whether it is called prayer or not. Those who considered it prayer set the condition of being in the state of purity; and those who did not consider it prayer permitted it without Taharah. Ibn Umar used to "Perform the prostration due to recital of Qur'an without having Wudu" [Reported by Imam al-Bukhari ].
No doubt performing it with Wudu is desirable. The way of performing this prostration is that the person who recites a verse of Sajdah should pronounce Takbeer and then prostrate and make this Du'a, should say during Sajdah as reported from Imam al-Tirmizi . "سجد وجهي للذي خلقه وشق سمعه وبصره بحوله وقوته فتبارك الله أحسن الخالقين". (I have prostrated my face to the One Who created it and brought forth its hearing and seeing by His Might and Power. Blessed be Allah the Best of Creators). Then he should pronounce another Takbeer to rise up from the Sajdah. The evidence for the second Takbeer is proved from the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) that he used to say Takbeer whenever he stands up and goes down in prayer.
Making Salaam is not compulsory according to the correct opinion. It is also allowed to prostrate for recital of Qur'an during the times when performing prayers is dislikeable.
Allah knows best.
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