Miscellaneous Queries On Salaah
Q1) While reading Salaah, I became muddled up in a Surah and missed a portion of an Ayah. Is my Salaah valid?
A1) The Salaah will generally remain valid if the mistake was minor and did not invalidate the recitation. However, if a letter or word was omitted in a manner that substantially changed the meaning, then the ruling may differ. The exact words omitted would need to be examined in order to determine the ruling.
ومنها القراءة بالألحان إن غير المعنى وإلا لا إلا في حرف مد ولين إذا فحش وإلا لا بزازية، ومنها زلة القارئ، فلو في إعراب أو تخفيف مشدد وعكسه، أو بزيادة حرف فأكثر نحو الصراط الذين، أو بوصل حرف بكلمة نحو إياك نعبد، أو بوقف وابتداء لم تفسد وإن غير المعنى به يفتى بزازية، إلا تشديد رب العالمين، وإياك نعبد فبتركه تفسد؛ ولو زاد كلمة أو نقص كلمة أو نقص حرفا، أو قدمه أو بدله بآخر نحو من ثمره إذا أثمر واستحصد، تعالى جد ربنا، انفرجت بدل انفجرت، إياب بدل أواب، لم تفسد ما لم يتغير المعنى إلا ما يشق تمييزه كالضاد والظاء فأكثرهم لم يفسدها، وكذا لو كرر كلمة؛ وصحح الباقاني الفساد إن غير المعنى نحو رب رب العالمين للإضافة كما لو بدل كلمة بكلمة وغير المعنى نحو إن الفجار لفي جنات، وتمامه في المطولات.
Shaami vol 1 pg 631-633
Q2) While reading Sunnah, I thought I was reading Fardh and did not join a Surah with Surah Fatiha. However, I performed Sajdatus Sahw. Is the Salaah valid?
A2) Reciting an additional Surah after Surah Fatiha is Waajib in Sunnah Salaah. If it was omitted forgetfully, Sajdatus Sahw becomes necessary. If Sajdatus Sahw was performed correctly, then the Salaah is valid.
وَلَا يَجِبُ السُّجُودُ إلَّا بِتَرْكِ وَاجِبٍ أَوْ تَأْخِيرِهِ أَوْ تَأْخِيرِ رُكْنٍ أَوْ تَقْدِيمِهِ أَوْ تَكْرَارِهِ أَوْ تَغْيِيرِ وَاجِبٍ بِأَنْ يَجْهَرَ فِيمَا يُخَافَتُ وَفِي الْحَقِيقَةِ وُجُوبُهُ بِشَيْءٍ وَاحِدٍ وَهُوَ تَرْكُ الْوَاجِبِ، كَذَا فِي الْكَافِي.ِ
Fataawa Hindiyya vol1 pg 126
Q3) While performing Salaah, I could not remember if I had recited Surah Fatiha. I then forgot to make Sajdatus Sahw. After Salaah, when I remembered, I then proceeded to make Sajdatus Sahw. Was this correct?
A3) If you are unsure whether you had recited Surah Fatiha or not, then the ruling depends on whether you merely had a doubt or you were certain that you omitted it. If you only had a doubt and did not repeat Surah Fatiha, then Sajdah Sahw was not required.
However, if you are certain that you omitted Surah Fatiha, Sajdah Sahw would be necessary. If you completed the Salaah and engaged in some worldly action such as talking or eating, and only then performed Sajdah Sahw, in this case you should repeat the Salaah as you omitted a Waajib of Salaah.
وَمَنْ سَهَا عَنْ فَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ فِي الْأُولَى أَوْ فِي الثَّانِيَةِ وَتَذَكَّرَ بَعْدَ مَا قَرَأَ بَعْضَ السُّورَةِ يَعُودُ فَيَقْرَأُ بِالْفَاتِحَةِ ثُمَّ بِالسُّورَةِ قَالَ الْفَقِيهُ أَبُو اللَّيْثِ: يَلْزَمُهُ سُجُودُ السَّهْوِ وَإِنْ كَانَ قَرَأَ حَرْفًا مِنْ السُّورَةِ وَكَذَلِكَ إذَا تَذَكَّرَ بَعْدَ الْفَرَاغِ مِنْ السُّورَةِ أَوْ فِي الرُّكُوعِ أَوْ بَعْدَ مَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنْ الرُّكُوعِ فَإِنَّهُ يَأْتِي بِالْفَاتِحَةِ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُ السُّورَةَ ثُمَّ يَسْجُدُ لِلسَّهْوِ وَفِي الْخُلَاصَةِ إذَا رَكَعَ وَلَمْ يَقْرَأْ السُّورَةَ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ وَقَرَأَ السُّورَةَ وَأَعَادَ الرُّكُوعَ وَعَلَيْهِ السَّهْوُ وَهُوَ الصَّحِيحُ، كَذَا فِي التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة
Fataawa Hindiyya vol 1 pg 126
Q4) I accidentally read a Surah and then realized I hadn’t read Surah Fatihah, so I read it and I think I made Sajdatus Sahw. Was this correct?
A4) If you remember while standing, after completing the additional Surah, then you should recite surah Fatiha and recite the additional Surah again. If you had already gone into Ruku, you should return to Qiyaam, recite Surah Fatiha and the additional Surah and repeat the Ruku and perform Sajdatus Sahw.
If you only recited surah Fatiha after the additional Surah without repeating the additional Surah, the correction may not have been completed properly. You should therefore repeat the Salaah.
وَإِنْ تَكَرَّرَ) لِأَنَّ تَكْرَارَهُ غَيْرُ مَشْرُوعٍ (كَرُكُوعٍ) مُتَعَلِّقٌ بِتَرْكِ وَاجِبٍ (قَبْلَ قِرَاءَةٍ) الْوَاجِبِ لِوُجُوبِ تَقْدِيمِهَا، ثُمَّ إنَّمَا يَتَحَقَّقُ التَّرْكُ بِالسُّجُودِ؛ فَلَوْ تَذَكَّرَ وَلَوْ بَعْدَ الرَّفْعِ مِنْ الرُّكُوعِ عَادَ ثُمَّ أَعَادَ الرُّكُوعَ، إلَّا أَنَّهُ فِي تَذَكُّرِ الْفَاتِحَةِ
وَالتَّحْقِيقُ أَنَّ تَقْدِيمَ الرُّكُوعِ عَلَى الْقِرَاءَةِ مُطْلَقًا مُوجِبٌ لِسُجُودِ السَّهْوِ، لَكِنْ إذَا رَكَعَ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَقَرَأَ، فَإِنْ أَعَادَ الرُّكُوعَ صَحَّتْ صَلَاتُهُ وَإِلَّا فَسَدَتْ. أَمَّا إذَا رَكَعَ قَبْلَ الْقِرَاءَةِ أَصْلًا فَظَاهِرٌ. وَأَمَّا إذَا قَرَأَ الْفَاتِحَةَ مَثَلًا ثُمَّ رَكَعَ فَتَذَكَّرَ السُّورَةَ فَعَادَ فَقَرَأَهَا وَلَمْ يُعِدْ الرُّكُوعَ فَلِأَنَّ مَا قَرَأَهُ ثَانِيًا الْتَحَقَ بِالْقِرَاءَةِ الْأُولَى فَصَارَ الْكُلُّ فَرْضًا فَارْتَفَضَ الرُّكُوعَ فَإِذَا لَمْ يُعِدْهُ تَفْسُدُ صَلَاتُهُ، نَعَمْ إذَا كَانَ قَرَأَ الْفَاتِحَةَ وَالسُّورَةَ ثُمَّ عَادَ لِقِرَاءَةِ سُورَةٍ أُخْرَى لَا يَرْتَفِضُ رُكُوعُهُ كَمَا نَقَلَهُ فِي الْحِلْيَةِ عَنْ الزَّاهِدِيِّ وَغَيْرِهِ، فَقَدْ ظَهَرَ أَنَّ إيقَاعَ الرُّكُوعِ قَبْلَ الْقِرَاءَةِ أَصْلًا أَوْ قَبْلَ قِرَاءَةِ الْوَاجِبِ يَلْزَمُ بِهِ سُجُودُ السَّهْوِ، لَكِنْ إذَا لَمْ يُعِدْ الرُّكُوعَ يَسْقُطُ سُجُودِ السَّهْوِ لِفَسَادِ الصَّلَاةِ، وَإِنْ أَعَادَهُ صَحَّتْ وَيَسْجُدُ لِلسَّهْوِ.
Shaami vol 2 pg 80
Q5) How can I improve my concentration in Salaah?
A5) We gauge from your query that you constantly experience doubts (Waswasah) regarding Salaah, to the extent that it is affecting your life and creating difficulty for yourself. We sympathize with your condition. May Allah Ta’ala grant you complete Shifa, Aameen!
If you are not certain that you have made a mistake in your Salaah, then you should not pay attention to mere doubts. You should avoid entertaining these doubts and feelings and regard your Salaah to be valid as long as you have performed it correctly.
The simple solution is to follow the rules of performing Salaah. If you have fulfilled the requirements of Salaah and performed it correctly, then that is sufficient. Do not entertain any doubts thereafter. Regard your Salaah to be valid.
If one has doubts without any valid reason or proof, this may be Waswasah-whispers of Shaytaan. Such doubts should be ignored, especially if they occur frequently.
Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said,
٣٩ – حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ السَّلَامِ بْنُ مُطَهَّرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ مَعْنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْغِفَارِيِّ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ
إِنَّ الدِّينَ يُسْرٌ وَلَنْ يُشَادَّ الدِّينَ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا غَلَبَهُ فَسَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالْغَدْوَةِ وَالرَّوْحَةِ وَشَيْءٍ مِنَ الدُّلْجَةِ
“Indeed, the Deen is easy and whoever makes the Deen difficult upon himself will be overcome by it”
Bukhari 39
From this Hadith, we understand that Islam is a religion of ease and that a person should not make matters difficult for himself through excessive doubts and misgivings.
Shaytaan tries to make a person’s Deen difficult by causing unnecessary doubts and confusion. One should not pay heed to these whisperings as doing so can make Salaah a source of hardship and distress.
Almighty Allah does not take a person to task for involuntary thoughts that come into his mind. In fact, a person should remain hopeful of reward for striving against such thoughts and trying to overcome them.
Focus on performing each posture of Salaah correctly and calmly. Try to understand the meanings of the recitation and Adhkaar, and gently bring your attention back to Salaah whenever your mind wanders. Do not repeatedly restart your recitation or repeat actions merely because of baseless doubts. If you are unsure about a specific ruling, consult a reliable Mufti and follow the ruling without repeatedly questioning yourself.
We make Dua that Almighty Allah grants you ease, removes these difficulties from your life, and blesses you with Khushoo’ and Khudhoo’ in Salaah, Aameen!
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Muhammad Yusuf Sulaiman
Date: 01 Jumaadal-Ulaa 1448 / 09 October 2026
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb