Some
of the scholars were of the view that it is not prayer, because the definition
of prayer does not apply to it, as it is not proven in the Sunnah that there is
any takbeer (saying �Allaahu akbar� as in the beginning of prayer) or tasleem
(saying salaams, as at the end of prayer) involved in it. The ahaadeeth
narrated concerning Sujood al-Tilaawah do not mention anything except sujood
(prostration) � �he prostrated and we prostrated with him� � except for one
hadeeth which was narrated by Abu Dawood, but its isnaad is subject to question
(�he said �Allaahu akbar� when he prostrated�). But there is no tasleem. It was
not narrated in any hadeeth, da�eef (weak) or saheeh (sound), that he said
tasleem after doing sujood al-tilaawah. If if there is no saheeh hadeeth to
indicate that one should say tasleem, then it is not prayer, because prayer has
to begin with takbeer and end with tasleem. This is the view favoured by Shaykh
al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him). On this basis there is no
need for tahaarah (to have wudoo�) or to cover one�s �awrah or to face the
qiblah. It is permissible to prostrate even if one has broken one�s wudoo�
(minor impurity). Whoever studies the words of Ibn Taymiyah will see that the
correct view is that which he expressed, which is that sujood al-tilaawah is
not prayer and is not subject to the same conditions as prayer. If you recite
Qur�aan from memory and you do not have wudoo�, and you come to an aayah where
sujood is required, then according to this view you may prostrate and it is OK.
Ibn �Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him), even though he was known to be very
strict, used to prostrate when he did not have wudoo�, but to be on the safe
side it is better not to prostrate without having wudoo�.
Al-Sharh
al-Mumti� by Ibn �Uthaymeen, vol. 4, p. 126
On this basis, it
is permissible to read Qur�aan after praying Fajr, indeed it is mustahabb. With
regard to the issue of the reader coming across an aayah where sujood
al-tilaawah is required, after Fajr or after �Asr, Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah
have mercy on him) was asked whether the person who is reading Qur�aan after
�Asr or after Fajr should do sujood al-tilaawah. He said:
It
is prescribed to do sujood al-tilaawah after Fajr and after �Asr, because this
is something that is done for a reason, and because it does not come under the
rulings of prayer according to the more correct of the two scholarly views.
Rather it comes under the ruling of reading Qur�aan and saying tasbeeh
(�subhaan Allaah�) and tahleel (�laa ilaaha ill-Allaah�), so it is permissible
for the one who is reading Qur�aan to do sujood al-tilaawah, even if he does
not have wudoo�, according to the more correct of the two scholarly
opinions.
Fataawa
al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 2, p. 344
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
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