Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamu Alaikum,

3.      If you are a follower in a Jama'at, and you hear the Imam making a mistake, if he completes the prayer without Sajdah Sahv, can a follower do the Sajdah Sahv and correct his own Salat? Also if there are only 2-3 in Jamat, can the same thing happen (where the follower does Sajdah Sahv at the end so the Imam realises and the Imam continues with the Sajdah Sahv and continues to complete the prayer?

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Answer:

Sajdah sahoo of imam

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: If you are a follower in a Jama'at, and you hear the Imam making a mistake, if he completes the prayer without Sajdah Sahv, can a follower do the Sajdah Sahv and correct his own Salat?

Sahl ibn Sa'd as-Sa'di relates that the Prophet (saws) said: "If someone is faced with something during the salah, he should say 'Subhan-Allah.' Clapping is for the women and saying ‘Subhanallah’ is for the men."

Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and an-Nasa'i.

If one is praying behind the ‘imam’ in congregation, and wishes to make the ‘imam’ realize that he has made an error or mistake in his prayer, the believing males should say ‘Subhan-Allah’ aloud; or if the believing woman realizes the mistake, she should clap, the sound of which will alert the ‘imam’ to his error or mistake.

When praying behind an ‘imam’ in congregation, the complete responsibility of fulfilling all the obligatory acts of prayer are solely upon the ‘imam’ alone, and it is absolutely obligatory for those praying behind the ‘imam’ to follow his every act. If the ‘imam’ makes a minor mistake or error during the prayer and completes the prayer with a ‘sajdah-sahu’, then all the believers praying behind the ‘imam’ should follow the actions of the ‘imam’ and do likewise. But if the ‘imam’ leading the prayers makes an error and does not perform the ‘sajdah-sahu’ at the end of the prayer, the believers praying behind should not and cannot perform the ‘sajdah-sahu’ on their own. Regardless of whatever mistakes the ‘imam’ might have involuntary committed during the prayer, the prayers of the believers praying behind him will be acceptable in the Sight of Allah.

For example, there is mention in Islamic Jurisprudence, that if an ‘imam’ were to lead the prayers in congregation….and after the whole congregation is dispersed and then the ‘imam’ realizes that he led the prayers without being in the state of ‘wudu’….Shariah Law dictates that the ‘imam’ alone must repeat his prayer, but the prayers of the believers who prayed behind him need not be repeated.

Your Question: Also if there are only 2-3 in Jamat, can the same thing happen (where the follower does Sajdah Sahv at the end so the Imam realises and the Imam continues with the Sajdah Sahv and continues to complete the prayer?

Sahl ibn Sa'd as-Sa'di relates that the Prophet (saws) said: "If someone is faced with something during the salah, he should say 'Subhan-Allah.' Clapping is for the women and saying ‘Subhanallah’ is for the men."

Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and an-Nasa'i.

Beloved brother, regardless of how many people are praying behind the ‘imam’ in congregation, the way to make the ‘imam’ realize his error is by the believing men declaring aloud ‘Subhan-allah’ and the believing women clapping.

The believers who pray in congregation behind the ‘imam’ should not and cannot perform the ‘sajdah-sahu’ themselves unless and until the ‘imam’ himself performs it at the end of the prayer.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan