Sajdah Tilaawat

Sajdah Tilaawat is a Sajdah that becomes obligatory upon reciting certain verses of the Qur’an-e-Kareem. There are 14 places in the Qur’an-e-Kareem where it is obligatory to perform Sajdah when the Ayat is recited. Just like Sajdah Tilaawat becomes obligatory when one recites it, similarly it becomes obligatory upon hearing it from a person who is reciting it. Sajdah Tilaawat is obligatory on a person on whom Salah is obligatory. That is why if a woman, who is in the state of Haiz or Nifaas, hears a person reading an Ayah of Sajdah Tilaawat, she must not perform Sajdah Tilaawat because Salah is not obligatory on a woman who is in such a state. When we say that she does not have to do Sajdah Tilawat, it means that it is not obligatory on her to perform it when she attains purity also. 

Sajdah Tilaawat becomes Wajib upon hearing it from the tongue of a person. If it is heard on radio, tape recorder or television, Sajdah Tilawat does not become Wajib.

Sajdah Tilaawat is Wajib but it is not obligatory to be performed immediately. A person, who cannot perform it immediately, can perform it afterwards. Similarly, if someone does not want to perform it immediately without any valid reason, there is no blame on him on condition that he performs it afterwards. However, a Sajdah Tilaawat that has become Wajib in Salah, must be performed in Salah. If it was not performed in Salah, one must make Istighfar and Taubah to wipe out this sin. One cannot be acquitted from this responsibility by performing it out of Salah.

Tahaarat (cleanliness) for Sajdah Tilaawat

Complete Tahaarat is necessary in order to perform Sajdah Tilaawat. A person, who hears an Aayah of Sajdah Tilaawat at a time when he does not have Tahaarat, must perform it when he becomes in the state of Tahaarat, that is, he must have both Wuzu and Ghusl.

Time when Sajdah Tilaawat is permissible

There is no time in which it is prohibited to perform Sajdah Tilaawat. This is to such an extent that if a person has read an Ayah of Sajdah Tilaawat or he has heard it from someone at sunrise, zenith or sunset, he has the right to perform the Sajdah Tilaawat but it is better to wait and perform it after a while. However, a person does not have the right to replace those Sajdah Tilaawat that had become Wajib before at these times. He must replace them outside these three times. 

The method of performing Sajdah Tilaawat

To accomplish Sajdah Tilaawat, it is better for a person to stand up, say Allahu Akbar and go into Sajdah where he recites the Tasbeeh. Thereafter, he says Allahu Akbar again and stands up. It is also permissible to perform the Sajdah Tilaawat from the sitting position.

Sincerity in practicing Deen

A person is sincere in practicing his Deen when he does it solely for the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala. He does not look at his advantage or his personal interest. He is only concerned about what will please Allah Ta’ala even though he finds it difficult and it does not seem to his advantage.

A person, who seeks a verdict according to the Deen, only when he finds it to his advantage, is in reality, using Deen for his personal advantage. This is not called following Deen. This is called using Deen. For example, a person who was never in favour of solving his problems according to the Shari’ah, may insist, one day, to solve the problem of inheritance according to the Shari’ah because he finds the verdict of the Shari’ah more profitable for him. However, when he sees that his daughter will have less inheritance or will not get anything according to the Shari’ah, he can present a thesis that one must follow the law of the country with the false excuse that he is not in an Islamic country. A person with such an attitude towards Deen, cannot be qualified as a sincere practitioner. He is just a profiteer who is using Deen for personal advantage. The hypocrites did that during the time of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam). As for the Sahabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahu Anhum), they were following Deen in all aspects and circumstances without considering their personal advantage. The family of Hazrat Rafi' Bin Khadij (Radiyallahu Anhu) had abandoned a certain transaction that was very profitable just because Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) had prevented them. There was no other option for them other than obeying Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) because obedience to Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) was more profitable for them than the profit of that transaction. And this is the state of mind that a Muslim must have! Otherwise, one will be a profiteer and not a follower.

[English version of "Sajdah tilaawat" – Al Jamiat – Vol.3 No.11]