What does Sajdat al-Tilawah mean?
There are verses in the Glorious Quran that require (immediate) prostration when recited (Ayat al-Sajdah). The prostration we perform upon recitation of these verses is called Sajdat al-Tilawah.
How many verses are there in the Glorious Quran that require prostration (Ayat al-Sajdah)?
There are fourteen verses (Ayat al-Sajdah) in the Glorious Quran that require prostration upon reciting or hearing them.
What is the ruling on the performance of Sajdat al-Tilawah?
It is required (wajib) to perform a Sajdat al-Tilawah for those who recite or hear these vers-es (Ayat al-Sajdah). It is also required to perform Sajdat al-Tilawah for those who read or listen to the meaning of these verses.
How do we perform a Sajdat al-Tilawah in a prayer?
There are two options when we recite ayat al-sajdah in a prayer:
1. If we are not going to continue to recite, or recite no more then three verses after reciting ayat al-sajdah, we bow (al-ruku) and then go to prostration (al-sajdah). By performing the prostration (al-sajdah) of the prayer, we also ful-fill the Sajdat al-Tilawah.
2. If we are going to continue to recite and recite more than three verses of the Glorious Quran, then we say "Allahu Akbar" directly after ayat al-sajdah and go straight into prostration. After we recite "Subhana Rabb'iyal-ala" three times, we get up while taking al-takbir one more time and continue to recite the verses that fol-low ayat al-sajdah.
How do we perform Sajda al-Tilawat when we are not praying?
When one of the ayat al-sajdah is recited while we are not praying, we turn towards the Holy Kaaba with ablution (whether sitting or standing), we say "Allahu Akbar" without raising our hands and go into prostration (sajdah). In the prostration position we say "Subhana Rabb'iyal-ala" three times and rise from prostration while saying "Allahu Akbar." We say "Ghufranaka Rabb'ana wa ilaykal-masir" while getting up.