If someone forgets a prostration, should they start directly with the prostration or with sitting between the two prostrations?
Scholars have differed concerning one who forgets a prostration (sujud) in the last rak'ah and remembers it only after the taslim, or forgets a prostration from a previous rak'ah and remembers it after beginning the recitation in the following rak'ah.
The Hanbalis hold that the rak'ah in which the prostration was forgotten due to oversight is nullified, and a replacement rak'ah must be performed.
As for the Shafi'is, they hold that if one forgets a prostration from the last rak'ah, he must perform it and whatever follows it. If it was from a preceding rak'ah, he must return to it, provided he has not reached its place in the subsequent rak'ah. This is the more preponderant opinion.
Based on this, if one remembers the prostration after beginning the recitation, then if he had sat before standing, even if it was for rest, that sitting suffices him for the sitting between the two prostrations. Otherwise, he must sit, then prostrate after sitting between the two prostrations. And if he remembers it after the taslim, he says the takbir and prostrates, and his sitting for the tashahhud suffices him for the sitting between the two prostrations.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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