There are four Verses in the Holy Quran, upon reading or (attentively) listening to these, Sajdah become obligatory. These Verses are:
- Alif Lam Meem [32:1] (The) Revelation of the Book, [32:2],
- and (2) Ha Meem [41:1],
- (I Swear) by the star when it swoops down [53:1],
- Read in the Name of your Lord Who Created! [96:1]
مَجْمَعُ الْبَيَانِ، رَوَى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: الْعَزَائِمُ الم تَنْزِيلُ وَ حم السَّجْدَةُ وَ النَّجْمُ إِذَا هَوَى وَ اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ وَ مَا عَدَاهَا فِي جَمِيعِ الْقُرْآنِ مَسْنُونٌ وَ لَيْسَ بِمَفْرُوضٍ.
(The book) ‘Majma Al Bayan’ – It is reported by Abdullah Bin Sinan,
‘From Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘The Determines (Verses of Sajdah) are – Alif Lam Meem [32:1] (The) Revelation of the Book, [32:2], and Ha Meem [41:1], (I Swear) by the star when it swoops down [53:1], Read in the Name of your Lord Who Created! [96:1], and whatever (else) counted in entirety of the Quran is a Sunnah, and it isn’t obligatory (to perform Sajdah)’’.[1]
وَ مِنْهُ قَالَ عَنْ أَئِمَّتِنَا ع أَنَّ السُّجُودَ فِي سُورَةِ فُصِّلَتْ عِنْدَ قَوْلِهِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ.
And from him, said, ‘From our Imams-asws: ‘The Sajdah in Surah Fussilat is at His-azwj Words: if it is Him you are worshipping [41:37]’’.[2]
وَ رُوِّينَا عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدِ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ ع أَنَّهُ قَالَ: الْعَزَائِمُ مِنْ سُجُودِ الْقُرْآنِ أَرْبَعٌ فِي الم تَنْزِيلِ السَّجْدَةِ وَ حم السَّجْدَةِ وَ النَّجْمِ وَ اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ
And we are reporting from Abu Ja’far Muhammad-asws Bin Ali-asws having said: ‘The Determined (Verses) of Sajdah in the Quran are four – Alif Lam Meem [32:1] (The) Revelation of the Book, [32:2], and Ha Meem [41:1], and (I Swear) by the star when it swoops down [53:1], and Read in the Name of your Lord Who Created! [96:1]’.
قَالَ فَهَذِهِ الْعَزَائِمُ لَا بُدَّ مِنَ السُّجُودِ فِيهَا وَ أَنْتَ فِي غَيْرِهَا بِالْخِيَارِ إِنْ شِئْتَ فَاسْجُدْ وَ إِنْ شِئْتَ فَلَا تَسْجُدْ.
He-asws said: ‘These are the Determined (Verses), there is no escape from doing the Sajdah in these, and in others you are with the choice, if you like you do Sajdah, and if you like you don’t do Sajdah’’.[3]
الْخِصَالُ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ سِرْحَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: إِنَّ الْعَزَائِمَ أَرْبَعٌ اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ وَ النَّجْمُ وَ تَنْزِيلُ السَّجْدَةُ وَ حم السَّجْدَةُ.
(The book) ‘Al Khisaal’ – from his father, from Sa’ad Bin Abdullah, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abu Nasr, from Dawood Bin Sirhan,
‘From Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘The Determined (Verses of Sajdah) are four – Read in the Name of your Lord Who Created! [96:1], and (I Swear) by the star when it swoops down [53:1], Alif Lam Meem [32:1] (The) Revelation of the Book, [32:2], and Ha Meem [41:1]’’.[4]
السَّرَائِرُ، نَقْلًا مِنْ نَوَادِرِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَقْرَأُ بِالسُّورَةِ فِيهَا السَّجْدَةُ فَيَنْسَى فَيَرْكَعُ وَ يَسْجُدُ سَجْدَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يَذْكُرُ بَعْدُ
(The book) ‘Al Saraair’ – Copying from ‘Nawadir’ of Aahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abu Nasr, from A’la, from Muhammad Bin Muslim who said,
‘I asked him-asws about the man reciting with the chapter wherein is the (Verses of) Sajdah, but he forgets and does Ruk’u and Sajdah, two Sajdah(s). Then he remembers afterwards.
قَالَ يَسْجُدُ إِذَا كَانَتْ مِنَ الْعَزَائِمِ وَ الْعَزَائِمُ أَرْبَعٌ الم تَنْزِيلُ وَ حم السَّجْدَةُ وَ النَّجْمُ وَ اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ
He-asws said: ‘He should do Sajdah when it was from the Determined (Verses of Sajdah), and the Determined ones are four – Alif Lam Meem [32:1] (The) Revelation of the Book, [32:2], and Ha Meem, and Ha Meem [41:1], and (I Swear) by the star when it swoops down [53:1], and Read in the Name of your Lord Who Created! [96:1].
وَ كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع يُعْجِبُهُ أَنْ يَسْجُدَ فِي كُلِّ سُورَةٍ فِيهَا سَجْدَةٌ.
And it was so, Ali-asws Bin Al-Husayn-asws, it fascinated him-asws to do Sajdah in every Chapter wherein was a Verses of Sajdah’’.[5]
How and what to Recite in Sajdah of Determined Verses?
وَ مِنْهُ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ الْمَذْكُورِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُصَدِّقِ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ عَمَّارٍ السَّابَاطِيِّ قَالَ: سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الرَّجُلِ إِذَا قُرِئَ الْعَزَائِمُ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ
And from him, from the mentioned book, from Ali Bin Khalid, from Ahmad Bin Al Hassan, from Amro Bin Saeed, from Musaddiq Bin Sadaqa, from Ammar Al Sabaty who said,
‘Abu Abdullah-asws was asked about the man when he recites the Determined (Verses of Sajdah), ‘How should he deal with it?’
قَالَ لَيْسَ فِيهَا تَكْبِيرٌ إِذَا سَجَدْتَ وَ لَا إِذَا قُمْتَ وَ لَكِنْ إِذَا سَجَدْتَ قُلْتَ مَا تَقُولُ فِي السُّجُودِ.
He-asws said: ‘There isn’t any Takbeer when you do Sajdah, nor when you stand (from it), but when you do Sajdah, say what you (normally) say in the Sajdah(s)’’.[6]
الْمُعْتَبَرُ، نَقْلًا مِنْ جَامِعِ الْبَزَنْطِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع فِيمَنْ يَقْرَأُ السَّجْدَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مِنَ الْعَزَائِمِ لَا يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَسْجُدُ وَ لَكِنْ يُكَبِّرُ إِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ.
(The book) ‘Al Mo’tabar’, copying from ‘Jamie’ of Al Bazanty, from Muhammad Bin Muslim,
‘From Abu Ja’far-asws regarding the one who recites (the Verses of) Al-Sajdah from the Quran, from the Determined (Verses), he should not exclaim Takbeer when he does Sajdah, but he should do Takbeer when he raises his head’’.[7]
When Salat leader recites a Verse from Determined Verses:
كِتَابُ الْمَسَائِلِ، لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ مُوسَى ع قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَكُونُ فِي صَلَاةٍ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ فَيَقْرَأُ إِنْسَانٌ السَّجْدَةَ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ
(The book) ‘Kitab Al-Masaail’ of Ali son of Ja’far-asws, from his brother-asws Musa-asws, he said, ‘I asked him-asws about the man being in a Salat in congregation. A person recites ‘Al-Sajdah’ (Verse), ‘How should he deal with it’’.
قَالَ يُومِي بِرَأْسِهِ
He-asws said: ‘He should gesture by his head’’.
قَالَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَكُونُ فِي صَلَاتِهِ فَيُقْرَأُ آخِرُ السَّجْدَةِ قَالَ يَسْجُدُ إِذَا سَمِعَ شَيْئاً مِنَ الْعَزَائِمِ الْأَرْبَعِ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ فَيُتِمُّ صَلَاتَهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ فِي فَرِيضَةٍ فَيُومِي بِرَأْسِهِ إِيمَاءً.
He said, ‘And I asked him-asws about the man being in his Salat, and he recites end of ‘Al-Sajdah’ (Verse). He-asws said: ‘He should do Sajdah when he hears something from the Mighty four (Verses), then he should gesture and complete his Salat, except if he happens to be in an obligatory Salat, he should indicate with his head gestures’’. [8]
مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ قَالَ إِذَا قُرِئَ شَيْءٌ مِنَ الْعَزَائِمِ الْأَرْبَعِ فَسَمِعْتَهَا فَاسْجُدْ وَ إِنْ كُنْتَ عَلَى غَيْرِ وُضُوءٍ وَ إِنْ كُنْتَ جُنُباً وَ إِنْ كَانَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ لَا تُصَلِّي وَ سَائِرُ الْقُرْآنِ أَنْتَ فِيهِ بِالْخِيَارِ إِنْ شِئْتَ سَجَدْتَ وَ إِنْ شِئْتَ لَمْ تَسْجُدْ .
Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Al Husayn Bin Saeed, from Al Qasim Bin Muhammad, from Ali Bin Abu Hamza, from Abu Baseer who said,
‘He-asws said: ‘When something from the four determined Verses (32:15, or 41:38, or 53:62 or 96:19) is recited, so perform Sajdah, and even though you might be without an ablution, and even if you were with a sexual impurity, and even if you were a woman not praying Salāt (due to menstruation etc.); and (as for as) the rest of the Quran, you are with the choice therein, if you so desire to, you perform Sajdah, and if you so desire to, you do not perform Sajdah’.[9]
When one is inattentive and hears the Determined Verses:
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنْ رَجُلٍ سَمِعَ السَّجْدَةَ تُقْرَأُ قَالَ لَا يَسْجُدُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ مُنْصِتاً لِقِرَاءَتِهِ مُسْتَمِعاً لَهَا أَوْ يُصَلِّيَ بِصَلَاتِهِ فَأَمَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ يُصَلِّي فِي نَاحِيَةٍ وَ أَنْتَ تُصَلِّي فِي نَاحِيَةٍ أُخْرَى فَلَا تَسْجُدْ لِمَا سَمِعْتَ .
Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Muhammad Bin Isa Bin Ubeyd, from Yunus Bin Abdul Rahman, from Abdullah Bin Sinan who said,
‘I asked Abu Abdullah-asws about a man who heard the Sajdah (Verse) being recited. He-asws said: ‘He should not perform Sajdah unless if he happens to be (deliberately) listen to its recitation, listening intently to it, or he is praying a Salāt with his Salāt. So if he happens to be praying Salāt in a corner and you are praying Salāt in another corner, so you do not perform Sajdah to what you hear’.[10]
أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ إِنْ صَلَّيْتَ مَعَ قَوْمٍ فَقَرَأَ الْإِمَامُ اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ أَوْ شَيْئاً مِنَ الْعَزَائِمِ وَ فَرَغَ مِنْ قِرَاءَتِهِ وَ لَمْ يَسْجُدْ فَأَوْمِ إِيمَاءً وَ الْحَائِضُ تَسْجُدُ إِذَا سَمِعَتِ السَّجْدَةَ .
Ahmad Bin Idrees, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Al Husayn Bin Saeed, from Fazalat Bin Ayoub, from Al Husayn Bin Usman, from Sama’at, from Abu Baseer,
(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘If you are praying Salāt with a group of people and the prayer leader recites [96:1] Read in the name of your Lord Who created (Chapter 96), or something from the determined Verses and is free from reciting it, and did not perform Sajdah, so indicate (a Sajdah) with a gesture; and the menstruating woman should perform Sajdah when she hears the Sajdah (Verse)’.[11]
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَقْرَأُ بِالسَّجْدَةِ فِي آخِرِ السُّورَةِ قَالَ يَسْجُدُ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ فَيَقْرَأُ فَاتِحَةَ الْكِتَابِ ثُمَّ يَرْكَعُ وَ يَسْجُدُ .
Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Hammad, from Al Halby,
(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah-asws having been asked about the man who recites the Sajdah Verse in the last Chapter. He-asws said: ‘He should perform Sajdah, then stand, and he should recite the Opening of the Book (Chapter 1), then perform Rukū and perform Sajdah’.[12]
Rasool Allah-saww’s recitation in Sajdha of the Determined Verses?
في غوالى اللئالى وروى في الحديث انه لما نزل قوله تعالى: ” واسجدوا واقترب ” سجد النبي صلى الله عليه وآله فقال في سجوده: اعوذ بالله برضاك من سخطك وبما فاتك من عقوبتك واعوذ بك منك حتى لا أحصى ثناء عليك انت كما اثنيت على نفسك.
In (the book) Gawaaly Al-La’aly,
And it has been reported in the Hadeeth that when the Words of the Exalted were Revealed: and do Sajdah and draw closer [96:19], the Prophet-saww did Sajdah and said in his‑saww Sajdah: ‘اعوذ بالله برضاك من سخطك وبما فاتك من عقوبتك واعوذ بك منك حتى لا أحصى ثناء عليك انت كما اثنيت على نفسك’ ‘I-saww seek refuge with Allah-azwj by Your-azwj Pleasure, from Your-azwj Anger, by what has been forgotten from Your-azwj Punishment. And I-saww seek refuge with You-azwj, from You-azwj to the extent that I-saww have no count of Your-azwj Praise. You-azwj are as You-azwj have Praised Yourself-azwj to be’.[13]
[1] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 82 – The Book Salat – Ch 52 H 6 a
[2] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 82 – The Book Salat – Ch 52 H 6 b
[3] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 82 – The Book Salat – Ch 52 H 14 b
[4] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 82 – The Book Salat – Ch 52 H 9
[5] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 82 – The Book Salat – Ch 52 H 11
[6] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 82 – The Book Salat – Ch 52 H 3 b
[7] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 82 – The Book Salat – Ch 52 H 10
[8] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 82 – The Book Salat – Ch 52 H 1
[9] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book of Salāt CH 22 H 2
[10] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book of Salāt CH 22 H 3
[11] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book of Salāt CH 22 H 4
[12] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book of Salāt CH 22 H 5
[13] تفسير نور الثقلين، ج5، ص: 612