Question # 344: While I was praying in our office Mussalah, the person who was leading the prayer, forgot to recite “sami’allahu liman hamidah” while coming up from Rukuh and instead said “Allahu Akbar”. I want to know what should be done if such mistake is made in the Salah?
bismi-llahi r-raḥmani r-raḥīm,
Assalamu ‘laikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
All praise and thanks are due to Allah (سبحانه و تعالى), and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم).
Dear questioner,
First of all, we implore Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) to help us serve His cause and render our work for His sake.
Shorter Answer: Tasmee’ (saying Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah) when rising from bowing and tahmeed (praising Allah by saying Allaahumma Rabbana wa laka’l-hamd) when standing up from ruku’ are among the obligatory parts of the Salah. The one who forgets to say that and does not say anything, or says Allahu akbar instead of that, and remembers whilst he is still praying, should do the two prostrations of forgetfulness before saying the salaam.
Long Answer: Tasmee’ (saying Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah) when rising from bowing and tahmeed (praising Allah by saying Allaahumma Rabbana wa laka’l-hamd) when standing up straight are Sunnah and are mustahabb according to the majority of scholars. The Hanbalis are of the view that they are obligatory, and the correct view is that they are obligatory [in accordance with the book Daleel al-Taalib, which is a well-known summary used by Hanbali fuqaha’]
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Sharh al-Mumti’: “The evidence for that (i.e., that it is obligatory) is as follows:
- The Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) adhered to that and did not neglect to say Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah in all situations.
- It is the signal for moving from bowing to standing.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “When he says Sami’ah Allaahu liman hamidah, say Rabbana wa laka’l-hamd.”
Saying Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah, for both the imam and the one who is praying alone, is one of the obligatory parts of prayer, according to the correct opinion… The one who forgets to say that and does not say anything, or says Allahu akbar instead of that, and remembers whilst he is still praying, should do the two prostrations of forgetfulness before saying the salaam.
The basic principle is that the one who forgets an obligatory part of prayer or says a prescribed phrase – such as Allahu akbar – in the wrong place, should do the prostration of forgetfulness.
It says in Daleel al-Taalib: “The prostration of forgetfulness is required if one adds a bow or prostration or standing or sitting, even if it is as long as the sitting between the two prostrations, or he says the salaam before completing the prayer, or he makes a mistake in recitation that alters the meaning, or he omits an obligatory part.”
(The above reply is based on various answers by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid)
Allahu A’lam (Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) knows best) and all Perfections belong to Allah, and all mistakes belong to me alone. May Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) forgive me, Ameen.
Wassalaam
