Prostration in the Quran
Total Hadiths 10
Authentic Hadiths on Prostration in the Quran
These authentic narrations demonstrate the established practice of performing prostration, known as Sujud al-Tilawah, when reciting specific verses of the Quran. The text shows that whenever the Prophet recited a chapter containing a verse of prostration, such as Surat an-Najm or Surat al-Inshiqaq, he would immediately prostrate, and his companions would eagerly follow his lead. This devotion was so widespread that during large gatherings, the crowds were occasionally so dense that some companions struggled to find a physical space on the ground to place their foreheads. The accounts emphasize that this act of worship is firmly rooted in following the direct example of the Prophet, while also warning against arrogance, as seen in the historical rejection by a disbeliever who refused to complete the full physical prostration.
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَجَدَ بِالنَّجْمِ وَسَجَدَ مَعَهُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَالْمُشْرِكُونَ وَالْجِنُّ وَالإِنْسُ. وَرَوَاهُ ابْنُ طَهْمَانَ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ.
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) I prostrated while reciting An-Najm and with him prostrated the Muslims, the pagans, the jinns, and all human beings.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 1071In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 5USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 2, Book 19, Hadith 177
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي نَافِعٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْنَا السُّورَةَ فِيهَا السَّجْدَةُ، فَيَسْجُدُ وَنَسْجُدُ، حَتَّى مَا يَجِدُ أَحَدُنَا مَوْضِعَ جَبْهَتِهِ.
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
When the Prophet (ﷺ) recited a Sura that contained the prostration he would prostrate and we would do the same and some of us (because of the heavy rush) could not find a place for prostration.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 1075In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 9USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 2, Book 19, Hadith 181
حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ آدَمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْرَأُ السَّجْدَةَ وَنَحْنُ عِنْدَهُ فَيَسْجُدُ وَنَسْجُدُ مَعَهُ فَنَزْدَحِمُ حَتَّى مَا يَجِدُ أَحَدُنَا لِجَبْهَتِهِ مَوْضِعًا يَسْجُدُ عَلَيْهِ.
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
When the Prophet (ﷺ) recited Surat As-Sajda and we were with him, he would prostrate and we also would prostrate with him and some of us (because of the heavy rush) would not find a place (for our foreheads) to prostrate on.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 1076In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 10USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 2, Book 19, Hadith 182
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.
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) recited the Sura which contained the prostration of recitation he used to prostrate and then, we, too, would prostrate and some of us did not find a place for prostration.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 1079In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 13USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 2, Book 19, Hadith 185
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي شُعَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، - الْمَعْنَى - عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْنَا السُّورَةَ - قَالَ ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ فِي غَيْرِ الصَّلاَةِ ثُمَّ اتَّفَقَا - فَيَسْجُدُ وَنَسْجُدُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى لاَ يَجِدُ أَحَدُنَا مَكَانًا لِمَوْضِعِ جَبْهَتِهِ .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would recite to us a surah (according to the version of Ibn Numair) outside the prayer (the agreed version goes), then he would prostrate along with him, and none of us could find a place for his forehead.
[1] Meaning the narrators, since the author heard this from two different narrators.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1412In-book reference : Book 7, Hadith 12English translation : Book 7, Hadith 1407
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ أَبُو الْجُمَاهِرِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ - عَنْ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ ثَابِتِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَرَأَ عَامَ الْفَتْحِ سَجْدَةً فَسَجَدَ النَّاسُ كُلُّهُمْ مِنْهُمُ الرَّاكِبُ وَالسَّاجِدُ فِي الأَرْضِ حَتَّى إِنَّ الرَّاكِبَ لَيَسْجُدُ عَلَى يَدِهِ .
`Abdullah bin `Umar Narrated from:
In the year of Conquest the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited a verse at which a prostration should be made and all the people prostrated themselves. Some were mounted, and some were prostrating themselves on the ground, and those who were mounted prostrated themselves on their hands.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1411In-book reference : Book 7, Hadith 11English translation : Book 7, Hadith 1406
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الأَسْوَدَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَرَأَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم النَّجْمَ بِمَكَّةَ فَسَجَدَ فِيهَا، وَسَجَدَ مَنْ مَعَهُ، غَيْرَ شَيْخٍ أَخَذَ كَفًّا مِنْ حَصًى أَوْ تُرَابٍ فَرَفَعَهُ إِلَى جَبْهَتِهِ وَقَالَ يَكْفِينِي هَذَا. فَرَأَيْتُهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ قُتِلَ كَافِرًا.
'Abdullah bin Mas'ud Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) recited Suratan-Najm (103) at Mecca and prostrated while reciting it and those who were with him did the same except an old man who took a handful of small stones or earth and lifted it to his forehead and said, "This is sufficient for me." Later on, I saw him killed as a non-believer.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 1067In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 1USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 2, Book 19, Hadith 173
حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَرَأَ سُورَةَ النَّجْمِ فَسَجَدَ بِهَا، فَمَا بَقِيَ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ إِلاَّ سَجَدَ، فَأَخَذَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ كَفًّا مِنْ حَصًى أَوْ تُرَابٍ، فَرَفَعَهُ إِلَى وَجْهِهِ وَقَالَ يَكْفِينِي هَذَا، فَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ بَعْدُ قُتِلَ كَافِرًا.
'Abdullah bin Mas'ud Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) recited Surat-an-Najm (53) and prostrated while reciting it and all the people prostrated and a man amongst the people took a handful of stones or earth and raised it to his face and said, "This is sufficient for me. Later on I saw him killed as a non-believer."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 1070In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 4USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 2, Book 19, Hadith 176
حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَرَأَ سُورَةَ النَّجْمِ فَسَجَدَ فِيهَا وَمَا بَقِيَ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ إِلاَّ سَجَدَ فَأَخَذَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ كَفًّا مِنْ حَصًى أَوْ تُرَابٍ فَرَفَعَهُ إِلَى وَجْهِهِ وَقَالَ يَكْفِينِي هَذَا . قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ قُتِلَ كَافِرًا .
‘Abd Allah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited Surah al-Najm and prostrated himself. No one remained there who did not prostrate (along with him). A man from the people took a handful of pebbles or dust and raised it to his face saying: This is enough for me. 'Abd Allah (b. Mas'ud) said: I later saw him killed as an infidel.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1406In-book reference : Book 7, Hadith 6English translation : Book 7, Hadith 1401
حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمٌ، وَمُعَاذُ بْنُ فَضَالَةَ، قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَرَأَ {إِذَا السَّمَاءُ انْشَقَّتْ} فَسَجَدَ بِهَا فَقُلْتُ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، أَلَمْ أَرَكَ تَسْجُدُ قَالَ لَوْ لَمْ أَرَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَسْجُدُ لَمْ أَسْجُدْ.
Abu Salma Narrated from:
I saw Abu Huraira reciting Idha-Sama' un-Shaqqat and he prostrated during its recitation. I asked Abu Huraira, "Didn't I see you prostrating?" Abu Huraira said, "Had I not seen the Prophet (ﷺ) prostrating, I would not have prostrated."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 1074In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 8USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 2, Book 19, Hadith 180
