In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Question: Is the Sujood As-Sahw [Pperformed] Before The Tasleem [i.e. after saying Assalaamu Alaykum Warahmatullaah] or After It; Or Are There [Different] Situations In Which It Should Be [Performed] Before the Tasleem or After It?

Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan [hafidhahullaah] Answers The Question: It is permissible [to perform] the Sujood As-Sahw before the Tasleem and after it; but what is better is to perform it before the Tasleem if one is performing it due to omitting [something] from the prayer, such as when one omits the first Tashahhud [i.e. unintentionally]; or omits an obligatory act of the prayer, such as the statement ‘Subhaanah Rabbiyal Adheem’ in the Rukoo or ‘Subhaanah Rabbiyal A’laa’ in the Sujood.

As for if it [i.e. the Sujood As-Sahw is performed] due to adding something extra [in the prayer], such as performing the Tasleem before completing [the prayer], or rising up for the fifth [Rak’ah] in a prayer that should be four [Rak’aat], or [rising for the] third [Rak’ah] in a prayer that should be two [Rak’ah], or [rising for the] fourth [Rak’ah] in the Maghrib prayer, but one remembered and sits down [i.e. straight away], then indeed the best thing is that it [i.e. the Sujood As-Sahw] is performed after the Tasleem. So, whatever is added [in the prayer] out of forgetfulness, then what is better is that [the Sujood As-Sahw] is performed after the Tasleem; but if one were to perform it constantly before the Tasleem or after the Tasleem, then there is no harm in that Inshaa-Allaah, and it has been reported that the Messenger [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] did this and that. [Bukhaari (2/65) based on the hadeeth reported by Abdullaah Ibn Buhaynah (radiyallaahu-anhu)]. [Ref 1]

Question: What should one say in the Sujood As-Sahw?

Answer to The Question: What is said in the Sujoodus Salaah [i.e. the statement Subhaanah Rabbiyal A’laa in the Sujood of the prayer] is what is to be said in the Sujood As-Sahw- either once or more; and one can supplicate whilst performing the Sujood As-Sahw just as he does in the Sujoodus Salaah [i.e. the Sujood of the prayer]. There is no difference between the two affairs [i.e. what is done in the Sujood of the prayer is what is to be done in the Sujood As-Sahw] due to the general evidences, and there is nothing reported that is specified to the Sujood As Sahw [i.e. no specific text to show that what is to be said in the Sujood As-Sahw should be different to what is said in the Sujood of the prayer] [Ref 2]

Ref 1: Al-Muntaqaa Min Fataawaa. Question 195. Vol 2. Publisher Dar Al-Imaan Ahmad. 1^st edition 1434AH [2013]; Ref 2: Al-Muntaqaa Min Fataawaa. Question 196. Vol 2. Publisher Dar Al-Imaan Ahmad. 1^st edition 1434AH [2013]