Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam
Question: As salam alaykum,
I have accidentally read a part of the opening supplication in the third cycle and I performed the forgetfulness prostrations after that but with a 2 min interval because I was not sure if I was suppose to do it.
Was it correct and if not, is my prayer invalid ?
Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,
I pray that this message finds you well, insha’Allah.
Yes, your prayer was valid because you did not do anything invalidating– such as eating, drinking or talking.
However, you actually did need to perform the forgetfulness prostrations (sajda al-sahw) because there was a delay in which you did no action of the prayer. In future, you should make a quicker decision, ignoring misgivings, and acting on the basis of your reasonable surety.
But in and of itself, reciting the opening supplication in the third cycle (rak`at) does not necessitate prostrations of forgetfulness because this point of the prayer is for praising Allah Most High, and the opening invocation doesn’t negate this meaning. [As understood from al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, quoting al-Tabyin]
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في الفتاوى الهندية: ولو تشهد في قيامه قبل قراءة الفاتحة فلا سهو عليه وبعدها يلزمه سجود السهو وهو الأصح؛ لأن بعد الفاتحة محل قراءة السورة فإذا تشهد فيه فقد أخر الواجب وقبلها محل الثناء، كذا في التبيين
And Allah alone knows best.
wassalam,
Tabraze Azam
Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani