Question:
Assalamualaikum SS Dato’ Seri Mufti. I want to ask, is it permissible for a person to perform the prostration of gratitude in prayer or is it obligatory to be performed outside of prayer?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wrt. wbt.
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Prostration of gratitude is a worship performed as a process of showing gratefulness to Allah SWT. It is performed for several factors such as when a person received a blessing or saved from a disaster or harm. Prostration of gratitude is sanctioned and this is stated in a hadith narrated by Abu Bakrah RA, where he said:
أَنَّهُ كَانَ إِذَا جَاءَهُ أَمْرُ سُرُورٍ أَوْ بُشِّرَ بِهِ خَرَّ سَاجِدًا شَاكِرًا لِلَّهِ
“When anything came to the Prophet (ﷺ) which caused pleasure (or, by which he was made glad), he prostrated himself in gratitude to Allah.”
Sunan Abu Daud (2774)
Regarding the methodology or how to perform prostration of gratitude, in terms of whether one should be in a pure state where the awrah is covered or face the qibla, we have discussed and explained these in Irsyad al-Fatwa Series 136: Prostration of Gratitude, which can be accessed through the link http://bit.ly/2xSOzS5
Referring to the question asked, we will present the statements of jurists where they say it is impermissible to perform prostration of gratitude in prayer. Furthermore, this action will invalidate the prayer except for those who do not know or forgets. It invalidates prayer for it adds an action which is not a part of the prayer.
Imam al-Nawawi Rahimahullah said:
اتَّفَقَ أَصْحَابُنَا عَلَى تَحْرِيمِ سُجُودِ الشُّكْرِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَإِنْ سَجَدَهَا فِيهَا بَطَلَتْ صَلَاتُهُ بِلَا خِلَافٍ
“Our scholars (madhhab Syafie) have agreed in the prohibition of prostration of gratitude in prayer. Thus, if a person performed prostration of gratitude in prayer, then his prayer is invalidated without any khilaf (difference of opinions by scholars on the matter).” Refer Al-Majmu’ Syarah al-Muhazzab, Al-Nawawi (4/68).
The reason is, prostration of gratitude is performed when a person receives a blessing or is saved from disaster, which is not an action in prayer and it is unrelated to the worship of prayer itself. This is as stated by Imam Ibn Qudamah Rahimahullah:
وَلَا يَسْجُدُ لِلشُّكْرِ وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ. لِأَنَّ سَبَبَ السَّجْدَةِ لَيْسَ مِنْهَا. فَإِنْ فَعَلَ بَطَلَتْ صَلَاتُهُ، إلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ نَاسِيًا أَوْ جَاهِلًا بِتَحْرِيمِ ذَلِكَ
“And it is impermissible for a person to perform prostration of gratitude in prayer. The reason is, the prostration is not a part of it (the prayer). Hence, if a person performed it, then his prayer is invalid, unless if he performed it while he forgets or do not know of its prohibition.” Refer Al-Mughni, Ibn Qudamah (1/449).
Conclusion
To conclude, we would like to state that it is impermissible to perform prostration of gratitude in prayer. Consequently, it should be performed outside of prayer and we have shared the methodology for prostration of gratitude in our previous article that could be accessed through the above stated link. However, a person should know that the act prayer itself is a manifestation of gratefulness of a slave to his Lord for all the blessings given to him. This is understood according to a hadith narrated by al-Mughirah:
قَامَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى تَوَرَّمَتْ قَدَمَاهُ فَقِيلَ لَهُ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَكَ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ قَالَ أَفَلاَ أَكُونُ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا
The Prophet (ﷺ) used to offer night prayers till his feet became swollen. Somebody said, to him," "Allah has forgiven you, your faults of the past and those to follow." On that, he said, "Shouldn't I be a thankful slave of Allah)?"
Sahih al-Bukhari (360)
Thus, the above hadith clearly states that one of the ways the Prophet PBUH showed his gratefulness for the blessings of his sins being forgiven is by performing the night prayers itself.
Lastly, may Allah SWT give us the right understanding in religion. Amin.