What is the ruling on someone who inadvertently added something to their prayer, and forgot something else in the same prayer, should they perform the two prostrations of forgetfulness before or after the salutation?
Scholars differ concerning the placement of the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw). The most prominent view is that an addition requires prostration after the salaam, and a deficiency requires it before. If a doubt leads to one possibility being more probable, it is performed after the salaam; otherwise, it is before. If two reasons necessitating different placements for the prostration occur simultaneously, then a single prostration before the salaam suffices, especially for the Imam, to facilitate matters for the congregants. This is because the prostration was legislated for rectification, so if one prostration is performed for it, the second is dropped. Some scholars hold the view that the prostration should always be performed before the salaam because it is earlier and more emphasized, and because the rectification of the prayer before its completion is more appropriate than delaying the rectification.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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