The prostration of recitation (Arabic: سجود التلاوة, sujud tilawa) is a prostration (sujud) that occurs during the Tilawa of the Quran during Salah or outside it. Defining the prostration of recitation as a movement of prostration resulting from the reason that it is a duty (wajib) or a mustahabb (recommended) when the recitation reaches one of the verses of prostration.
There are fifteen places where Muslims believe that when Hazrat Muhammad (ﷺ) recited a specific verse, he prostrated to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). All the Muslim jurists agree on the legitimacy of the prostration of recitation but differ on whether it is obligatory or recommended. The Muslim and Quran helps Muslims to read and understand Quran easily. The Al-Quran section is divided into seven sub-sections ( Surah, Juz, Manzil, Ruba, Ruku, Sajda, and Hizb) to help Muslims better understand the Quran.
On this page, you can access all the prostrations of recitations together with complete details (The Surah name and the verse number).
The prostration of recitation is a Confirmed Sunnah after reciting a verse of the verses of prostration. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) says in Ayah 107 of Surat Al-Isra:
قُلْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَوْ لَا تُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ مِن قَبْلِهِۦٓ إِذَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ يَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ سُجَّدًۭا ١٠٧
Say, O Prophet(ﷺ), “Believe in this ˹Quran, or do not. Indeed, when it is recited to those gifted with knowledge before it was revealed, they fall upon their faces in prostration. ( 17:107)
A prophetic hadith was also narrated from the companion Abu Hurairah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), in which he said:
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " إِذَا قَرَأَ ابْنُ آدَمَ السَّجْدَةَ فَسَجَدَ اعْتَزَلَ الشَّيْطَانُ يَبْكِي يَقُولُ يَا وَيْلَهُ أُمِرَ ابْنُ آدَمَ بِالسُّجُودِ فَسَجَدَ فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ وَأُمِرْتُ بِالسُّجُودِ فَأَبَيْتُ فَلِيَ النَّارُ "
‘When a son of Adam recites a Sajdah* and prostrates, Satan withdraws weeping, saying: ‘Woe is me! The son of Adam was commanded to prostrate, and he prostrated, and Paradise will be his; I was commanded to prostrate, and I refused, so I am doomed to Hell.’( Sunan Ibn Majah:1025)
In another narration, Abdullah ibn Umer (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) states that:
حَدَّثَنَا صَدَقَةُ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْرَأُ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي فِيهَا السَّجْدَةُ فَيَسْجُدُ وَنَسْجُدُ حَتَّى مَا يَجِدُ أَحَدُنَا مَكَانًا لِمَوْضِعِ جَبْهَتِهِ.
Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) recited the Sura, which contained the prostration of recitation, he used to prostrate. Then, we, too, would prostrate, and some of us did not find a place for prostration ( because of the crowd). ( Sahih Bukhari 1079)
Imam Abu Dawood narrated in his book Sunan Abu Dawood a hadith on the authority of Hazrat Aisha (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهَا), in which she said:
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ الْحَذَّاءُ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْعَالِيَةِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، - رضى الله عنها - قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ فِي سُجُودِ الْقُرْآنِ بِاللَّيْلِ يَقُولُ فِي السَّجْدَةِ مِرَارًا " سَجَدَ وَجْهِي لِلَّذِي خَلَقَهُ وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ بِحَوْلِهِ وَقُوَّتِهِ "
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prostrated himself at night when reciting the Qur'an. He said repeatedly: My face prostrates itself to Him Who created it and brought forth its hearing and seeing by His might and power. (Sunan Abi Dawood 1414)
You can read the Surahs in which obligatory Sajda Tilawa is mentioned just by clicking on the names of Surah As-Sajda, Fussilat, An-Najam, and Al-Alaq.