Question:
Assalamualaikum Dato’ SS Mufti, I have a question. I would always play the Quran on the radio in my car, laptop and listen to the Quran on TV. Sometimes I would hear the sajadah verses recited. My question is, is it necessary for me to perform the tilawah prostration when I hear them?
Hope for an explanation from Tuan Mufti. Thank you.
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the prophet Muhammad PBUH, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
The tilawah prostration is worship sanctioned to those who recite or hear the verses of sajadah. This is in accordance with the evidences stated in the Quran and hadith, some of them are:
- Allah SWT states:
قُلْ آمِنُوا بِهِ أَوْ لَا تُؤْمِنُوا ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ مِن قَبْلِهِ إِذَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ يَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا
“Say, "Believe in it or do not believe. Indeed, those who were given knowledge before it - when it is recited to them, they fall upon their faces in prostration,”
Surah al-Israa’ (107)
- Narrated from Abdullah bin Umar RA, he said:
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى الله عَلَيهِ وَ سَلَّمَ يَقْرَأ عَلَيْنَا السُورَةَ فِيهَا السَجْدَةُ فَيَسْجُدَ وَ نَسْجُد
“One time, The Prophet PBUH recited to us a surah which also includes the Sajdah verse, then the Prophet PBUH prostrated and we followed and prostrated.”
(Refer Fath al-Bari Syarh Sahih al-Bukhari, 2:556)
Syaf’iiyyah and Hanabilah scholars hold the opinion that the tilawah prostration should be performed after reciting or hearing the tilawah verse is sunnah muakkadah (highly encouraged sunnah). (Refer Mausu’ah Fiqhiyyah Kuwaitiyyah, 24:213). This is not obligatory worship for the Prophet PBUH did once leave the tilawah prostration after hearing surah al-Najm which includes the sajdah verse. This is in accordance with the hadith narrated by Zaid Ibn Thabit RA, where he said:
قَرَأْتُ عَلَى النَبِيّ وَ النَجْم فَلَم يَسْجُد فِيهَا. وَ فِي رِوَايَة ٍ: فَلَمْ يَسْجُدْ منَّا أَحَدٌ
“I (Zaid Ibn Thabit RA) recite surah al-Najm (which consist the sajdah verse) to the Prophet PBUH, and the Prophet PBUH did not prostrate for it. In another narration: Thus, we follow him and did not prostrate.” (Refer Fath al-Bari Syarh Sahih al-Bukhari, 2:554)
Meanwhile, Hanafiyyah scholars state that performing the tilawah prostration and anything to replace it, such as signalling or acknowledging it is obligated. This is in accordance with the hadith of the Prophet PBUH, where the Prophet PBUH said:
السَجْدَةُ عَلَى مَن سَمِعَهَا
“Prostration is for those who hear it (sajadah verse).”
The scholars commented the word ‘عَلَى’ means the ruling of obligatory (wajib) (Refer Mausu’ah Fiqhiyyah Kuwaitiyyah, 24:214). They also supported their opinion with another narration from Abu Hurairah RA, where the Prophet PBUH said:
إِذَا قَرَأَ ابْنُ آدَمَ السَجْدَةَ فَسَجَدَ اعْتَزَلَ الشَيْطَانُ يَبْكِي يَقُولُ: يَا وَيْلَه أمِرَ ابْنُ آدَمَ بِالسُجُودِ فَسَجَدَ فَلَهُ الجَنَّة وَ أُمِرْتُ بالسُجُودِ فَأَبَيْتُ فَلِي الناَّر
“When a son of Adam recites a Sajdah* and prostrates, Satan withdraws weeping, saying: ‘Woe is me! The son of Adam was commanded to prostrate and he prostrated, and Paradise will be his; I was commanded to prostrate and I refused, so I am doomed to Hell.”
Sahih Muslim (1:87)
According to the above evidence, there are three things in the verses of sajadah that makes the Hanafiyyah scholars to rule it obligatory to perform the tilawah prostration:
- A clear command word commanding Muslims to prostrate to Allah SWT.
- Curse or woe unto the disbelievers who refuse to prostrate to Allah SWT.
- The action of the prophets and the believers who fulfilled the commandments of Allah SWT and following the actions of the prophets who obey the commandments of Allah SWT is an obligation. (Refer Fatawa Syar’iyyah Wa Buhuth Islamiyyah, 1:288)
However, the commandment is not in the form of an immediate obligation right after hearing or reciting the verse of sajadah. Consequently, it is permissible to delay the tilawah prostration to another time, if there is a difficulty, such as if the place is unsuitable or when one is in hadith and others. (Refer Fatawa Syar’iyyah Wa Buhuth Islamiyyah, 1:288)
As for the matters related to whether tilawah prostration is necessary if you hear the verses of sajadah recited through the radio, laptop, television and others, Syeikh Hasanain Makhluf RA state in his fatwa:
“What we wanted to explain regarding this is when someone hears the verses of sajadah through the radio and television or listening to other people reciting it, even if the person reciting it is far away through the speaker. There is no difference for those who hear the recitation from people behind a wall, divider, screen made from wood or glass or at a distance using the speaker. In all of these situations, when one hears the recitation from the reciter one should prostrate himself (according to the Hanafiyyah scholars), the same if one hears the recitation through radio and television.” (Refer Fatawa Syar’iyyah Wa Buhuth Islamiyyah: 1:289)
Conclusion
According to the above discussion, we hold the opinion that it is sunnah to perform the tilawah prostration for whoever hears the recitation of the sajadah verses through the radio, television and others according to the majority of scholars. The reason is, hearing the recitation of sajadah verses in any situation is the same as hearing it directly from the reciter or from someone who is reciting behind a wall or others.
However, it is permissible to delay the prostration if the situation is unsuitable, such as if the place is unsuitable, or when he is not in the state of wudhu, or where he cannot face the qibla and others.
May Allah SWT give us the correct understanding in practising the religion and being sincere in our worship to Him. We end this discussion with a supplication to be recited in tilawah prostration:
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ سَجَدْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ سَجَدَ وَجْهِى لِلَّذِى خَلَقَهُ وَصَوَّرَهُ وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ
“O Allah, to You I have prostrated and in You, I have believed and to You, I have submitted, and You are my Lord. My face has prostrated to the One Who created it and formed it and brought forth its hearing and sight. Blessed be Allah the best of Creators.”
Sahih Muslim (1848)