EN.MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – Budi Jaya Putra, a member of the Muhammadiyah Central Board’s Tabligh Council, provided a comprehensive explanation of the three forms of prostration (sujud) performed outside the essential pillars of prayers. Those are sujud syukur (gratitude prostration), sujud tilawah (prostration upon reciting sajadah verses), and sujud sahwi (forgetfulness prostration).
He delivered the lecture during a Tarjih Study Session held on Wednesday (8/7),
Opening his presentation, Budi explained that prostration is among the acts of worship that bring a servant closest to Allah. While prostration is an integral part of the daily prayers, Islam also prescribes three forms of sujud for specific occasions.
Muhammadiyah positions on sujud syukur and sujud tilawah were formally established during the Tarjih National Congress in Pekalongan in 1972. The establishments were later incorporated into the Compilation of Tarjih Decisions.
Sujud Syukur
Budi explained that sujud syukur is performed when a person receives a significant blessing or joyful news from Allah. It represents a believer’s spontaneous expression of gratitude and submission.
“When someone receives an extraordinary blessing or joyful news, they prostrate themselves as an expression of submission to Allah and gratitude for His favor,” he said.
He cited several prophetic traditions supporting the practice. Among them is a narration from Abu Bakrah. It is narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would prostrate whenever he received good news. Another narration recounts that the Prophet prostrated after receiving a letter from Ali ibn Abi Talib informing him that the people of Yemen had embraced Islam. A third report from Abdurrahman ibn Awf describes the Prophet remaining in prostration for an extended period after the Angel Jibril brought him glad tidings from Allah.
Budi explained that Islamic scholars have differed on the proper method of performing sujud syukur. One opinion treats it analogously to prayer. Performing sujud syukur thus is requiring ablution (wudu), facing the qiblah, saying the opening takbir, and concluding with salam.
The second opinion adheres more closely to the apparent wording of the hadiths. According to this view, the prostration is performed immediately, without ablution, facing the qiblah, nor opening or closing salutations. One simply prostrates in a clean place while glorifying Allah and offering prayers of gratitude.
Muhammadiyah, Budi explained, adopts the latter position.
“The Majelis Tarjih holds that sujud syukur is performed without ablution, outside the formal prayer, without takbir or salam. One simply prostrates upon receiving joyful news while increasing expressions of glorification, praise, and supplication to Allah,” he said.
Sujud Tilawah
Budi then discussed sujud tilawah. It is the prostration performed when reciting or hearing one of the Qur’an’s verses of sajdah.
He explained that its basis is found in the Qur’an. Surah Maryam verse 58, for example, describes the prophets falling in prostration when Allah’s revelations were recited to them. The practice is further supported by authentic narrations describing the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Companions prostrating after reciting verses of prostration.
According to Budi, sujud tilawah is a recommended (sunnah) act rather than an obligation. He cited a narration from Umar ibn al-Khattab, who explained that those who perform it receive a reward. Those who leave it, however, incur no sin.
He also noted that, based on prophetic traditions, the Qur’an contains 15 verses of prostration. Those are Al-A’raf, Ar-Ra’d, An-Nahl, Al-Isra’, Maryam, Al-Hajj, Al-Furqan, An-Naml, As-Sajdah, Sad, Fussilat, An-Najm, Al-Inshiqaq, and Al-‘Alaq.
When sujud tilawah occurs during congregational prayer, he emphasized that worshippers must follow the imam.
“Prayer is not about who knows more; it is about following the imam,” he said.
If the imam performs the prostration, the congregation follows. Conversely, if the imam does not perform it, individual worshippers should not do so independently.
Outside prayer, Muhammadiyah maintains that sujud tilawah does not require ablution. A person may prostrate immediately after reading or hearing a verse of prostration and recite the supplication taught by the Prophet.
Sujud Sahwi
In the final part of his lecture, Budi discussed sujud sahwi, which is performed to compensate for mistakes or omissions made unintentionally during prayer.
He explained that Arabic distinguishes between nisyan and sahwi, both of which refer to forgetfulness but carry different nuances. Nisyan refers to forgetting something that can be recalled once reminded, whereas sahwi describes a lapse that persists even after a reminder and therefore requires corrective action.
Based on various prophetic traditions, Budi said that sujud sahwi may be performed either before or after the concluding salam. It depends on the type of mistake committed during prayer.
If a worshipper becomes uncertain about the number of units (rak’ahs) completed, they should proceed according to the number they are most certain of and then perform two prostrations before concluding the prayer. This ruling reflects the well-known legal maxim: Al-yaqīn lā yuzālu bish-shakk — certainty is not removed by doubt.
He added that the Prophet (peace be upon him) also performed sujud sahwi after praying an extra rak’ah, forgetting the first tashahhud, or completing missing rak’ahs after being reminded by his Companions.
Drawing on these narrations, Muhammadiyah concludes that there are four primary circumstances requiring sujud sahwi: forgetting the first tashahhud, uncertainty about the number of rak’ahs, praying fewer than required, and praying more than required. These rulings are likewise codified in the Compilation of Tarjih Decisions.
Budi concluded by expressing hope that Muslims would gain a clearer understanding of these three forms of prostration through the guidance of the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and Muhammadiyah’s Tarjih decisions.
With sound knowledge, he said, Muslims can practice their worship more faithfully in accordance with the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) while avoiding confusion arising from misunderstandings of Islamic legal sources.
