SUJOUD AL SHUKR.

Everything you need to know about Sujoud Al Shukr (prostration for thanks and gratitude to Allah)

What is sujoud Al Shukr?
Sujood ash-Shukr is a prostration which is performed for Allaah, in order to show Shukr (thanks and gratitude) to Him for a specific blessing.

When is it performed?
No doubt every blessing is from Allaah. He said,
{Whatever you have of blessing – it is from Allah} [16:53]

However Sujood ash-Shukr is not performed for blessings in general, rather it is only performed for a specific blessing at a specific time – such as a person being blessed with the birth of their child, getting a job or passing an exam. It can also be performed when a specific harm is alleviated from a person – such as being cured from an illness or being saved from  calamity.

Evidence from the Sunnah:
Upon the authority of Abu Bakrah (may Allaah be pleased with him),
Whenever the Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) was pleased by a matter or was given the glad tidings of a matter, he would go into prostration as a form of Shukr to Allaah. Collected by Abu Dawood & Ibn Maajah

Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq prostrated when news reached him that Musaylamah the Liar had been killed. Alee’ prostrated when Dhul Thadiyyah had been killed among the Khawaarij. The Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam)  also prostrated when Jibreel gave him the glad tidings that whoever sends salutations upon the Prophet once, Allaah will send salutations on that person ten fold…” Mentioned by al-Adheemabaadi in ‘Awnal-Ma’bood Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood

How it is performed:

As soon as a person hears of a specific blessing, it is recommended for him to immediately prostrate to Allaah. This is a prostration like any other prostration – in terms of prostrating on seven limbs [1] and saying:
سبحان ربي الأعلى
Subhana Rabil A’alah (Glorified is my Lord, the Most High)

A person should then also thank Allaah for the blessing.

There is no evidence however, for a person to say Takbeer at the beginning of the prostration, nor Tasleem after it.

Does a person have to be in a state of Wudhu?

“The correct opinion is that it is not obligated upon a person to be in a state of Wudhu when performing Sujood ash-Shukr. This is because the reason for performing it is due to an occurrence of a blessing or removal of a harm, and there is no specific time for this in which a person can prepare for it. In such a case, whenever a person is blessed, he should immediately perform Sujood ash-Shukr in whatever state he is in.”  Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen; Fataawa noorun alaa ad-darb http://islamport.com/w/ftw/Web/2190/2457.htmInnovations

There are a number of innovations and fabricated narrations which are occurring in relation to Sujood ash-Shukr:

1. Salaat ash-Shukr
It has not been narrated that the Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) dedicated a specific prayer called Salaat ash-Shukr. The only act of worship established is Sujood ash-Shukr – as mentioned above.

2. Performing Sujood ash-Shukr after each prayer or after reciting Qur’an
As mentioned previously in the Hadeeth, the Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) would only perform Sujood ash-Shukr on specific instances of good news or being saved from calamity. Therefore to introduce a new practice of performing a separate Sujood after each prayer is blameworthy and  is a Bid’ah (an innovation).

3. Saying Alhamdulillah 3 times, or Shukr Lillah 3 times
To specify a saying or Du’aa in Islaam requires evidence that it was done by the Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) and his companions. It is not known that the above statements were specified to be said during Sujood ash-Shukr.

A Fabricated Narration:

There is a narration which is mentioned by people in relation to Sujood ash-Shukr. It is,
“When the slaves of Allah do Sajdah-ul-Shukr, Allah opens the hijaab between them & the angels. He says to the Angels, ‘look at my slave, he did his fardh, obeyed my teachings and then performed Sujood to thank Me for what I’ve blessed him with.
‘Oh My Angels what should he get?’ The Angels will reply, ‘Ya Rabbana give him Your mercy.’
Then Allah will ask again, ‘and what else?’ The Angels will reply, ‘Ya Rabana give him Your heaven.’
Then Allah will ask again, ‘and what else?’ The Angels will reply, ‘Ya Rabana make his worries end.’
Then Allah Ta’aala will ‘ask what else?’
Every time Allah asks and what else?
The Angels will reply, something good to be given or be done to the person who does Sajdah-ul-Shukr.
Lastly the Angels will reply, ‘Ya Rabana we have no knowledge.’
Then Allah will say, ‘ I’ll thank him the way he thanked Me, I’ll give him My favour and show him My mercy’.” [End of narration].

Note: It should be known that this is a fabricated narration and has not been mentioned in the authentic books of Hadeeth and Sunnan. Rather it is a narration spread by the Rawaafidh Shee’ah in their books such as Bihaar al-Anwaar, Mustadrak al-Wasaail and others.
It is therefore not permitted to spread this hadeeth, rather this fabrication should be clarified and warned against.

Allaah knows best.

1] The seven limbs that must touch the ground when prostrating have been mentioned in the following Hadeeth: “I have been ordered to prostrate on seven limbs: the forehead – and he also pointed towards his nose, two hands, two knees and the toes of the two feet. [Narrated by Ibn Abbaas; Collected by Bukhaaree & Muslim]

TAHAJJUD.

Do you want to be from Eibadul Rahmaan (the servants of the most merciful) and win the highest level of Paradise?

I am sure you are thinking “of course, is that even a question”!!

Allah Ta’alah says what can be translated as: ( And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace,
And those who spend [part of] the night to their Lord prostrating and standing [in prayer] ) 25:63-64

Those who spend part of the night prostrating to their lord means those who pray Qeyamulail.

What is Qeyamulail (or the prayer of the night)?
Qeyamulail is an honor given by Allah to those who serve His deen, do good in this dunia and worship Him with sincerity. Not just anyone gets to do Qeyamulail!!

I will give you a simple example in our daily life to help you realize what I mean: Your son or daughter, will not get to meet the president of the country unless they do exceptionally well in their studies or sports compared to the rest of the students within the area, city or country. Wa LeLLAHUL mathalul A’alah.

So Qeyamulail is like an honorary grade. This person who served Allah and their deen during the day, Allah wakes them up at night to meet and connect with Him as an honor and a reward for their hard work…… Subhana Allah, can you feel the tranquility of that!!?

If you were looking to apply for a job in one of the companies or ministries and you heard that the CEO or the Minister walks on the beach every morning at 6 AM. I am sure you will go and buy yourself some sports shoes and outfit even though you have never played sports before and may be your belly is one meter away from you!!! However, you will go walking on the beach at 6 AM just because you have a need and you are ready to do anything to achieve it. We do this with humans, what about the lord of the humans!!? Aren’t we supposed to do more with him?
I am not saying we have to be like the companions of the Prophet peace be upon him, who used to pray the whole night or half of it. We do not have to be like Ata’a ibn Rabah who used to wake up third of the night and sometimes half of it. We do not have to be like Imam Abu Hanifa who used to pray fajr with the wudu of isha for forty years. We do not have to be like all those because our iman is still weak. Let us work in conjunction with our iman.

Qeyamul Lail starts from only two Raka’ahs or four any time of the night, the beginning of the night (after Isha), the middle (before you go to bed) or the end of the night ( just before athaan of fajr). Of course you can do more than the two raka’as if you wish and if you increase the reward will also increase. But if you pray just two raka’hs and one Raka’h witr, that is considered as Qeyam also and when Allah Subhanhau wa Ta’alah calls on the day of Judgment for those who used to pray Qeyamul Lail you will be one of them in shaa Allah.

The best time for Qeyamulail is the last part of the night just before fajr, because Allah descends to the lowest heaven every night. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Our Lord (glorified and exalted be He) descends each night to the earth's sky when there remains the final third of the night, and He says: 'Who is saying a prayer to Me that I may answer it? Who is asking something of Me that I may give it him? Who is asking forgiveness of Me that I may forgive him?'" [Bukhari (also by Muslim, Malik, at-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud).]
Sadly most of us are either sleeping at that time or in a wedding listening to Music and dancing or committing other sins waleyathu biLLAH . We are missing a lot of Khair.

Oh you who have problems in your life, wake up just an hour or 45 min before fajr and pray to Allah and ask Him for what you want. Tell Him your problems and cry. Do not lift your head from Sujoud and there is still something in your heart you have not said, you will see wonders and you will have so much peace in your heart.
After learning all this, let’s not waste these chances any more.

Let’s have a plan for Qeyamulail:

For my brothers, let us start praying isha in Jama’ah (congregation) and fajr in Jama’ah. The Prophet peace and blessings be upon him said: "One who performs `Isha' prayer in congregation, is as if he has performed Salat for half of the night. And one who performs the Fajr prayer in congregation, is as if he has performed Salat the whole night.'' [Muslim]

He (peace and blessing be upon him) also said, “If people knew the reward in praying Fajr and Isha in congregation, they would go to the mosque even if they had to crawl.” [Bukhari & Muslim]

For my brothers and sisters, let us set up our alarms half an hour before the athaan of fajr, just half an hour. What shall we do in this half an hour?
Use the first 15 minutes to read Qura’an so your heart will open up, and the next 15 minutes pray two rakahs or four raka’s plus witr.
Continue with this plan for three months or even six months then increase it to 45 minutes instead of half an hour. Use 15 min. for Quran, 15 min. for Istighfaar and 15 min. for salah. Continue like that for another year and then make it one hour. Use 15 min. for Quran, 15 min. Istighfaar, 15 min salah ala rasoul, and 15 min. for salah.

Once you get used to this, you will find yourself waking up without an alarm and you will see so much khair in your life. You will have light on your face, you will have a better concentration and you will function more efficiently in all aspects of your life and more importantly you will be from the special people of Qeyamulail.

Qeyamulail is the only form of worship which is completely away from Reya’a because you do it late at night when everyone is asleep, just you and Allah. The companions of the Prophet peace be upon him used to walk on their toes not to make anyone feel them praying Qeyamulail. Make it as your secret deed between you and Allah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The best prayer after the obligatory prayer is prayer at night.” Narrated by Muslim, 1163

Allah praises those who have faith and are pious for their noble characteristics and good deeds, one of the most special of which is qiyaam al-layl. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Only those believe in Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), who, when they are reminded of them, fall down prostrate, and glorify the Praises of their Lord, and they are not proud. Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend (in charity in Allaah’s Cause) out of what We have bestowed on them. No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do” [al-Sajdah 32:15-17]

The Prophet peace be upon him said: “You should pray qiyaam al-layl, for it is the custom of the righteous who came before you and it brings you closer to your Lord, and expiates sins and prevents misdeeds.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3549; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 452.
Al-Haakim narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Jibreel came to me and said: ‘O Muhammad, live as long as you want, for you will die. Love whomever you want, for you will leave him. Do whatever you want for you will be requited for it. Remember that the believer’s honour is his praying at night, and his pride is his being independent of people.” Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 73.
So let’s strive to not miss Qeyamul Lail even if it’s only 2 raka’as. May Allah grant us tawfeeq and help us achieve this honor Ameen.