Oops! I Made a Mistake In Salah What Should I Do?

• What Should I Do?

Oops! I Made a Mistake In Salah What Should I Do? (C) Um yuunus

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How to Use: Oops! I Made a Mistake in Salah What Should I do • This is short workbook which can be completed in one or two lessons for students familiar with the topic or five to six for those not familiar with the topic. To give you the educator flexibility lessons are not numbered.

• The workbook starts by explaining what a pillar is and why this knowledge is so important to motivate the learner.

• The review questions are meant to show understanding but not be laborious to facilitate ease of study.

• Reflections are meant for students to internalize motivation to improve and only be shared voluntarily.

• There is a summary chart at the end to bring the knowledge to a comprehensive conclusion.

• Arabic terms are used along with English to familiarize students with both.

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Salah A

Waajibaat Obligations Arkan Pillars

Sunan NON-OBLIGATORY

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Lesson 1

Pillars of Salah Pillars are strong posts used to hold buildings up and keep the structure secure. In salah we also have pillars that are required to establish the salah, without even one of the pillars salah is invalidated.

There are fourteen arkaan (pillars) of salah. That may sound like a lot to learn, but you probably already know them all, so do not worry.

Why do we need to know the arkan (pillars) of salah?

If one forgets or makes a mistake in any arkan (pillar) that rakat must be remedied. If the opening takbeer is left out the prayer must be restarted, because salah was not established. The two sajdas of forgetfulness are not enough in this case.

If someone purposely leaves out or adds a pillar the salah itself is invalid.

This is not guide of how to pray, there are many sources with in-depth descriptions of how to pray. This guide explains how to correct mistakes.

A common misunderstanding is that the two sajdas of forgetfulness are sufficient correction for all mistakes. Although, it is for the obligations and sunan of salah it’s not enough for arkan of salah.

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Reflect

How important are the arkan (pillars) of salah in the validity of your salah?

How important are the arkan (pillars) of salah in your entering Jannah?

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Fixing Mistakes in Salah How we rectify a mistake in salah depends on whether we made the mistake in the arkaan, the waajibat, or sunan.

• If we miss a pillar (rukn), the salat is invalid. We need to remedy it and pray sujood as-sahw.

• If we miss a waajib (obligatory act), we must do sujood as-sahw (protrastion of forgetfulness).

• If we miss a Sunnah (non-obligatory act), sujood as-sahw is best but not required.

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True or False It is good to repeat if a mistake is made in a pillar (rukn) but not required.

Two prostrations of forgetfulness are required if we forget an obligation (waajib).

Salah is invalid if we skip the opening takbeer.

If we miss a sunnah we must go back and repeat from that point.

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Lesson 2

Pillars of Salat

The arkaan (pillars) of the prayer are the statements and actions, without which the prayer is invalid, and sujood as-sahw alone is not sufficient. You must go back and do that pillar and whatever comes after it. Then you do sujood as-sahw. After we learn the pillars, we will review some examples.

These are the pillars of salat: 1.

Standing during obligatory prayers if one is able

2.

Opening Takbeer (saying Allah Akbar)

3.

Reciting Al-Fatihah

4.

Rukoo`, the least of which means bending so that the hands can touch the knees, but the most complete form means making the back level and the head level with it.

5.

Rising from bowing and standing up straight

6.

Sujood (prostration): the most perfect form is placing the forehead, nose, palms, knees, and toes firmly on the ground. The least is placing a part of each of these on the ground.

7.

Rising from prostration

8.

Sitting between the two prostrations. Whichever way one sits is good enough, but the sunnah is to sit muftarishan: sitting on the left foot and holding the right foot upright with the toes pointing towards the qiblah.

9.

The final tashahhud

10. Sitting to recite the final tashahhud and the two salaams.

11. Saying prayers for the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam after the final tashahhud.

12. The tasleem 13. Being at ease in each of these physical pillars 14. Doing the pillars in the order mentioned here. If a person deliberately prostrates before bowing for example, the prayer is invalidated; if he does it by mistake, he must go back and bow and then prostrate.

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Which One Does Not Belong?

Arkan (Pillars) of Salah

• Rukoo` • Final tashahhud • Opening takbeer • Al-Fatihah • Sajood • Putting right hand over left on chest after the opening takbeer • Sitting for tashahhud • Raising from rukoo` • Correct order

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Arkaan Mistakes With Answers You are sitting for the first tashahhud of maghreb and you realize you forgot the opening takbeer.

You have to restart salah because the opening takbeer is a pillar.

Without the opening takbeer you never started salah.

You are reading the final tashahhud of ‘Isha when you realize you only prayed 3 rak`aat.

You need to stand up, add another rak`ah, redo the tashuhhud, and do the two sajdas of sahw.

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You are in sujood and realize you forgot to make rukoo`, You need to go back and do rukoo’ and what is after it, and finish the prayer. Do sajda sahw.

You are in the third rak`ah of dhuhr. You start reciting surah Al-ikhlas, then you realize that you have not recited Al-Fatihah.

You recite al-Faatihah, then a surah, and continue your prayer.

Do sajda sahw.

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Zainab joins salat-ul Maghreb quickly without say takbeer while the Imaam is in rak’oo?

A) Her salah is correct because she joined in rak’oo B) Her salah is incorrect because she forgot takbeer, she must make sajda sahw after salam Remember to say C) Her salah is invalid because without the opening takbeer she didn’t enter salah. She must restart her salah

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when you join congregational salah.

There is no salah without the opening takbeer.

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Sujood as-sahw The prostration for forgetfulness is two prostrations towards the Qiblah.

Behind an Imam It is obligatory to follow the Imam in performing sajda sahw.

"The Imam is appointed to be followed, so do not differ with him … " until he said, " … so when he prostrates then prostrate … " This hadith is agreed upon from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).

Except if you arrived late and need to make up the part of the prayer missed. You should not follow the Imam in performance of prostration after the salutation. This is because, you cannot give the salutation along with the Imam, you should first make up what you missed, give the salutation, then prostrate for forgetfulness, then give the salutation again. If, however, he does the sujood as-sahw before the salutation you follow him.

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Omission of Arkan Guidelines Arkan (Pillar) Omitted

Remedy

The initial takbeer Prayer not valid whether deliberate or not.

Must redo the prayer.

No sajda sahw (prostration for forgetfulness) is needed.

If something other than the Must redo the prayer. initial takbeer is No sajda sahw (prostration deliberately omitted, the for forgetfulness) is needed. prayer is nullified.

If something else is omitted If you continue until reaching its place in the next rak'at, out of forgetfulness then you discard that rak'at which you forgot it in, and the following one takes its place.

If you have not reached its place in the next rak'at, then it is obligatory upon you to return to the missed pillar and to perform it and whatever comes after it.

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Additions to Salah

• Deliberately adding extra standing, sitting, bowing or prostration invalidates salah.

• If any of these actions are added out of forgetfulness and it is not remembered until the salah is completed the remedy is sajda sahw.

• If you remember while performing the action, it is obligatory to leave the action and perform sajda sahw at the end.

• Deliberately giving Salutations (Salam) before completing the salah invalidates salah.

• If done out of forgetfulness and you do not remember for a long time the salah needs to be repeated.

• If you remember right away, complete the prayer, give salams, do sajda sahw (prostration of forgetfulness), and give salam again.

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Addition Examples With Remedy You are praying the Dhuhr salah as five raka'at, but you do not remember until in the final Tashahhud.. You should complete Tashahhud , give salam and then sajda sahw (prostrate for forgetfulness), give salam again.

If however, you remembered after giving salam, then you should sajda sahw, give salams again.

Prophetic Example:

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that, "The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam lead them in the Dhuhr prayer or the 'Asr prayer and gave the salutation after two raka'at. Then he departed quickly from one of the doors of the mosque, and the people were saying that the prayer had been decreased. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam meanwhile, stood by a piece of wood placed in the mosque, leaning against it, as if he was angry. So a man stood and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, have you forgotten or has the prayer been reduced?' So the Prophet of Allah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said, 'I did not forget nor has it been reduced.' So the man said, 'Rather you have indeed forgotten.' So the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said to the Companions, 'Is what he is saying true?' They said 'Yes' So the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam went forward and prayed what remained of the prayer, then he gave the salutation, then he prostrated twice, then he gave the salutation." [Agreed Upon]

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What Should You Do? You are in sujood when you realize this is your third sujood? a) You restart your salat from the opening takbeer. b) Get up from sujood, complete your salah, and perform sujood sahw. c) Do nothing, and the salah is fine.

You accidently say the tasleem after the first tashuhhud in Salat-ul ‘Asr. a) Do nothing. Your salah is fine. b) Discard your second rak’a. c) Complete your salah and perform sajda sahw.

You deliberately add a fourth rak’aa to salat-AlMaghreb. a) That is good. You want to pray more. b) Complete your salah and perform sajda sahw c) Your salah is invalid. You need to repeat that prayer.

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Lesson 4

Waajibaat (Obligations) Of Salat Saying takbeer

Saying ‫ربنا ولك احلمد‬

‫هللا أكرب‬

Rabbana wa lakal hamd

for the movements in the prayers

Saying ‫محده‬

‫مسع هللا ملن‬

Sami Allahu liman hamidah

Our Lord for You is the praise

The first Tashahhud

Allah hears him who praises Him.

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Join Saying ‫ربنا ولك احلمد‬

Obligation

First tashahhud Correct order Final tashahhud

Pillar

Takbeer with movements Opening takbeer

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Lesson 5

Sunan Acts Perfect the Prayer The recommended or sunan acts of prayer are of two types statements and actions. The sunan should not be ignored is unimportant; “They are only sunnah.” It is these important acts that perfect our prayer and raise our status with Allah.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The first action for which a servant of Allah will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection will be his prayers. If they are in order, he will have prospered and succeeded. If they are lacking, he will have failed and lost. If there is something defective in his obligatory prayers, then the Almighty Lord will say: See if my servant has any voluntary prayers that can complete what is insufficient in his obligatory prayers. The rest of his deeds will be judged the same way.”

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 413 Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani

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Recommended Statements Saying the opening supplication (Du’a al-istiftaah) Seeking refuge with Allah Saying “Ameen” after Al-Fatihah Reciting a Surah after Al-Fatihah Saying dhikr after the tahmeed (Rabbana wa laka’lhamd), Saying the tasbeeh when bowing

Saying the tasbeeh in prostration Saying “Rabb ighfir li between the two prostrations Sending prayers upon the Prophet - sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - and his family after the first tashahhud Saying du’a after the final tashahhud

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Recommended Actions

Sunnah Actions

Raising the hands when saying the opening takbeer Raising the hands when bowing Raising the hands when rising from bowing Placing the right hand on the left one Looking at the place of prostration Holding the knees with fingers spread apart when bowing, and holding the back straight and making the head parallel with it.

Putting the hands on floor before knees when prostrating Placing parts of the body on which one prostrates firmly on the ground.

Ways of sitting between the two prostrations Sitting after the second prostration before standing up for the following rak`ah Placing the hands on the ground before standing up for the following rak`ah Place of the hands during tashahhud and between the two sajdas Pointing the right index finger during tashahhud

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Reflect Why is it important to perfect the sunan, that is non-obligatory statements and actions?

How confident are you that your salah is correct?

What can you do to improve your salah?

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Summary of Sujood As-Sahw (Prostration of Forgetfulness) The prostration of forgetfulness consists of two sajdas that one does at the end of the prayer because addition, omission, or doubt during the prayer.

Before explaining these cases, one must know that the prayer consists of different actions and statements.

•

Some are arkaan (pillars) from the Arabic singular “rukn”.

They are actions and statements without which the prayer is not valid, and the prostration of forgetfulness is not sufficient if they are missed unintentionally.

One must do them as will be explained below.

•

Some are waajibaat (obligatory acts) from the Arabic singular “waajib”.

They are actions and statements that are obligatory. If they are missed unintentionally, one performs the prostration of forgetfulness after the tasleem.

•

Others are sunan (recommended acts) from the Arabic singular “sunnah” They are of two types: actions and statements. They are not obligatory but recommended. There is no prostration of forgetfulness if they are missed intentionally or unintentionally, and the prayer is valid.

However, one must strive to perform all the sunan (recommended) actions and statements. This way the prayer is better, more rewarding, and in accordance with the guidance of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam), who said, “Pray as you have seen me pray.”

Moreover, when one does not observe certain recommended acts, such as looking towards the place of sujood, one can easily look around or up, which is forbidden.

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Arkaan

Waajibaat

(Pillars)

(obligatory acts)

Standing for the able Takbeerat al-ihraam (initial takbeer) Recitation of alFaatihah Rukoo` Rising from rukoo` Sujood (prostration) Sitting between the 2 prostrations Last tashahhud Sitting for the last tashahhud Salat for the Prophet in the last tashahhud Tasleem Composure during each pillar Order of these pillars

The takbeerat of movement from one pillar to the next

Some Sunan (Recommended) Statements

(Recommended) Actions Du`aa’ al-istiftaah Raising the hand with (opening supplication) takbeerat al-ihraam

Isti`aadhah Saying, “sami`a Allaah liman hamidah” Saying. “rabbanaa laka-lhamd” The first tashahhud

Some Sunan

Saying, “Aameen” Qur’aan recitation after alFaatihah Saying “subhaana rabbi al`adheem” during rukoo` Saying “subhaana rabbi al-a`laa” during sujood

Raising the hands upon rukoo`, rising from rukoo`, and when standing up for the third rak`ah Placing the hands on the chest

Looking towards the place of sujood Ways of sitting

Sitting between the 2 Dhikr after saying, prostrations “rabbanaa lakalhamd” Pointing with the index finger Du`aa’ between the 2 during prostrations tashahhud

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Salat for the Prophet in the last tashahhud

Moving the index finger during tashahhud

Du`aa’ after the last tashahhud

Looking to the right and the left during tasleem

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Notes: •

•

•

The prayer is not valid in these cases and must be redone, and no prostration of forgetfulness is required: Not saying takbeerat al-Ihraam intentionally or forgetfully because the prayer has not actually started.

Intentionally skipping a rukn (pillar) or an obligatory act of the prayer Intentionally adding a standing, a sitting, a rukoo`, or a sajdah Intentionally ending the prayer before tasleem If the prostration of forgetfulness is after the tasleem, another tasleem must be done.

The prostration of forgetfulness is not required if one skips a sunnah (recommended) act of the prayer, intentionally or not. However, it is better if the prostration is done.

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Place of the Prostration of Forgetfulness

Issue Saying tasleem before the end of the prayer a)

If one remembers after a long time, one must redo the whole prayer.

b)

If one remembers after a short time, one must go back and finish the prayer.

•

No prostration of forgetfulness in case (a)

•

After tasleem in case (b), and does tasleem again.

Addition to the Prayer, such as a standing, a sitting, a rukoo`, or a sajdah If one remembers during the addition, one must refrain • After tasleem in both cases (a) and (b); and

a)

immediately. b)

one does tasleem again.

If one remembers after the addition, one continues praying.

Forgetting a pillar other than takbeerat al-Ihraam a)

If one reaches the place of the forgotten pillar in the following rak`ah, then that rak`ah replaces the one wher there was an omission.

b)

If one has not reached the place of the pillar in the following rak`ah, one returns to the place of forgotten pillar and does it and what comes after it.

c)

If one remembers the forgotten pillar after the completion of the prayer, one must add one whole rak`ah.

•

After tasleem in all 3 cases (a), (b) and (c); and one does tasleem again.

•

Before tasleem in cases (a) and (b)

•

No prostration in case (c) because there was no omission nor addition

Forgetting an obligatory act, such as the first tashahhud a)

If one remembers after standing up, one continues and does not go back.

b)

If one remembers while getting up before standing straight, one sits, does the tashahhud, and continue praying.

c)

If one remembers at the time of the obligatory act, one does that act.

Doubt: If one does not remember the number of rak’aat performed, or if he has done something or not, then there are 2 cases: a)

If one is more certain about one possibility over the other, then one continues praying based on that possibility.

For example: If one is more certain about the number of rak`as or whether one has done an act or not, then one goes with the more likely possibility.

a)

•

After tasleem in case (a), and does tasleem again.

•

Before tasleem in case (b)

If one is not certain, then one does the act again.

For example: If one is not certain if he has performed 2 or 3 rak`as, then one goes with what is certain, which is 2 rak`aas.

If one is not certain if an act was done or not, then one assumes it wasn’t.

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Answer Key Page 7 False

It’s good to repeat if a mistake is made in a pillar but not required.

True

Two prostrations of forgetfulness are required if we forget an obligation.

True

Salah is invalid if we skip the opening takbeer.

False

If we missed a sunan we most go back and repeat from that point

Page 9 Putting right hand over left on chest after the opening takbeer

Page 18 Saying ‫ربنا ولك احلمد‬ First tashahhud Obligation

Correct order Final tashahhud

Pillar

Takbeer with movements Opening takbeer

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References The Concise Presentation of the Fiqh of the Sunnah and the Noble Book, Abdul-Azeem Badawi, translator Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo International Islamic Publishing House, 2007 Ibn Al-’Uthaymin (04/03/1400H), The Prostration of Forgetfulness (Sajda sahw), Translated by Abu Talhah Daawood Retrieved January 2, 2021, SunnahOnline.com

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