(Please) tell the method of the prostration of forgetfulness (sajdah sahw).

(a) An omission in the prayer: for example, leaving the first tashahhud and standing up for the third rak'ah — evidence: the narration of 'Abdullah ibn Buhaynah, may Allah be pleased with him; the Prophet ﷺ performed two prostrations before the salam (Sahih al-Bukhari: 829, Sahih Muslim: 570).

(b) Basing on the lesser number in doubt: whether one prayed three or four and neither side is preponderant, base it on the lesser (three) — evidence: Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him: if doubt occurs, base it on the lesser number and perform two prostrations before the salam (Sahih Muslim: 571).

The method: in the last rak'ah, after completing the at-Tahiyyat, the blessings and the supplication, without giving salam, say «اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ» (Allah is the Greatest) and perform two prostrations (the tasbih «سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى» (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) three times), then sit and give salam to both sides.

(a) An addition: praying five rak'ahs instead of four — evidence: Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him; when the Prophet ﷺ prayed five rak'ahs, he performed two prostrations after the salam (Sahih al-Bukhari: 401, Sahih Muslim: 572).

(b) Salam before the time: giving salam at two/three rak'ahs, then on remembering, completing the rest — evidence: the hadith of Dhul-Yadayn, Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him (Sahih al-Bukhari: 482, Sahih Muslim: 573).

(c) A preponderant supposition in doubt: after reflection, if one side becomes preponderant, complete the prayer on that basis and perform the prostration of forgetfulness after the salam.

The method: complete the prayer and give salam to both sides, then say the takbir and perform two prostrations, then sit and again give salam to both sides.

The basic principle: in both prostrations, the ordinary tasbih «سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى» (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High); repeating the at-Tahiyyat/blessings after the prostration of forgetfulness is not established from authentic hadiths; the Sunnah method is precisely that after the prostration of forgetfulness only the salam be given.

Translated from the original Urdu fatwa.