Similarly, it has been reported from an authentic source that Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has stated that if a believer performs a sijdah of gratitude to Allah for any blessing from Him other than a sijdah in the course of salaat, Allah records for him ten virtues, forgives him ten sins and elevates his position in heaven by ten grades. It has been reported from a number of authentic sources that the Imam (a.s.) has said that man is nearest to Allah when he is in sijdah to Allah in a state of weeping. He is reported to have said in another tradition that every Muslim should perform a sijdah of gratitude, complete his salaat with the sijdah, seek the pleasure of Allah through it and astonish the angels. When a man completes his salaat with the sijdah of gratitude, Allah lifts the veil subsisting between the angels and man and addresses them, "O Angels, look at my creature who has performed his duty to Me and discharges his promise to Me and has then prostrated in gratitude to Me for all the blessings that I have bestowed on him. O angels, what shall I give him?" They respond, "O God, Your mercy." He asks, "What else?" They reply, "O God, Your Heaven." Again He asks, "What else?" They say, "Provide him his necessities and fulfill his wishes." Allah continues to repeat the question and the angels respond till they are unable to provide further reply and say that they do not know when Allah says, "I too must thank him as he has done, grant him prosperity by My grace and treat him with My great mercy on the Day of Judgment." 

It has been reported from an authentic source that Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has said that the Creator of the Universes made Ibrahim his friend because of his many prostrations. In another authentic tradition he is reported to have said that if one remembers a favour bestowed by Allah and there is no fear that enemies would notice, one must place one's cheek on the ground but if the situation is such that enemies are around and it is not possible to make a sijdah, one must place one's hands on the lower abdomen and make a bow in humility to Allah and place the hands on the abdomen so that the enemies might think one has gripes in the stomach. There are numerous reports about Allah having asked Hadhrat Moosa if he knew why Allah had chosen him and made him Kaleem, that is spoken to him. Hadhrat Moosa replied that he did not know. Allah said, "I am well aware of My creatures. Of all of them, I have not seen one whose soul is more humble towards Me than yours as when you complete your prayers you place your both cheeks on the earth." It has been reported from an authentic source that Imam Ridha (a.s.) has said that sijdah on completion of obligatory salaat is an expression of gratitude to Allah for the fortune He bestowed on His creature to fulfill his duty and the least that  must be said in the sijdah is to state three times: Sukr Allah He was asked what the phrase meant and he replied that it is thanking Allah for the good fortune He grant to serve Him and fulfill duty to Him. He added that thanking Allah is a cause for increased bounties and good fortune to obey Him and if there is any shortcoming in salaat which is not cured by the nafilah (optional prayers) then it is remedied by sijdah. the late author states that the sijdah can be performed in any manner it is better done on earth in the way it is performed in obligatory salaat by placing seven parts of the body on the ground with the forehead as it is placed during salaat. Still preferable it to place the forearm on the ground contrary to the procedure in the obligatory salaat and to reach the abdomen to the ground. It is recommended that the forehead is first placed on the ground, then the right and then the left check, and finally the forehead is again placed on the ground. Hence it is termed two sijdahs. Actually no utterance is necessary in such a sijdah but it is recommended that there be a recitation and supplication which will be set out below. It is to recommended that it be prolonged. It is reported that Imam Moosa Kadhim (a.s.) would remain in the sijdah from dawn till noon and from the afternoon (asr) evening. According to another report for over ten years, the Imam (a.s.) would remain in sijdah from sunrise till noon. It has been reliably reported that Imam Ridha (a.s.) remained in sijdah for so long that the stones on the ground of the mosque would become wet with his perspiration and he would place both his cheeks on the ground of the mosque. 

It is stated in 'Rijale Kashi' that Fadhal bin Shadhaan approached ibne Abi Omeyr when he was in sijdah which he prolonged considerably. When he lifted his head he was told about the time he took in the sijdah he said. "If you had seen the prostration of Jameel bin Darraj, you would not have found my prostration long at all." The day he approached Jameel who proloned his sijdah even longer than ibne Abi Omeyr. When he lifted his head and Fadhal mentioned how long his sijdah was, he responded, "If you had seen the sijdah of Ma'roof bin Kharraboodh, you would have regarded my sijdah an easy one." Fadhal bin Sadhaan has similarly reported that Hasan bin Ali bin Fadhdhaal would proceed to a forest for worship and would elongate his sijdah that birds would sit on his back in the belief that a cloth had been there and wild beasts would graze around him but he would not be frightened by them. Likewise he has reported that Ali bin Mehzyaar would prostrate to sijdah at sunrise and would not lift his head until he had prayed for a thousand of his brothers in the manner in which they would have prayed for themselves. As a result of the long prostrations he had a callosity of the kind found on the knees of angels. He also reported that ibne Abi Omeyr would proceed into sijdah of gratitude after salaat of Fajr and would remain in sijdah till noon. 

Supplications in sijdah /Prostration   Arabic in Image Format  |  Pdf  |  1page Image

First: Through a valid chain of authority, Imam al-Ri�� (`a) is reported to have instructed that one may repeat the following word one hundred times in thanksgiving prostrations:

In the book of `Uy�n Akhb�r al-Ri��, it is reported on the authority of Raj�' ibn Abi�l-�a���k that Imam al-Ri�� (`a), on his way to Khur�s�n, used to prostrate after the Zohar Prayer say 100 times

Second: Al-Kulayn� has reported through a valid chain of authority that Imam al-��diq (`a) said: The closest position of a servant to Almighty Allah is when he prostrates himself before Him and supplicates Therefore, when you prostrate, you may say:

You may now pray to grant you your request. After that, you may say:

Third: Al-Kulayn� has reported through an authenticated chain of authority that Imam al-��diq (`a) said: One night, I saw my father prostrating himself in the mosque. I could hear him saying withsoft tone:

Fourth: al-Kulayn� reports that Imam M�s� al-K��im (`a) used to say the following  prayer prostrating

Fifth: Through a valid chain of authority, al-Kulayn� also reports that a man complained to Imam al-��diq (`a) about an ailment that affected one of his bondwomen. The Imam said: In the thanksgiving prostration after all obligatory prayers, you may say this  prayer:

Sixth: Imam al-��diq and Imam al-K��im (`a) are reported to have very frequently said the following  prayer when they did the thanksgiving prostrations:

Seventh: , it is reported that Imam al-��diq (`a) used to say the following statement when he prostrated himself:

Eighth: it is reported that Imam `Al� Am�r al-Mu'min�n (`a) said: The most favorite words to Almighty Allah is that when a servant (of Him) prostrates himself, he should repeat the following  3 times:

Ninth: In the book of al-Ja`fariyy�t, it is recorded that Imam al-��diq (`a) quoted the Holy Prophet (�) to have used to said when he placed his face on the ground for prostration:

Tenth: Al-Qu�b al-R�wand� has reported Imam al-��diq (`a) to have said: Whenever an ordeal or agony afflict or accumulate against you, you may prostrate on the ground and say:image

In the book of `Uddat al-D�`�, Imam al-��diq (`a) is reported to have said, �Any one who is afflicted by a disaster, a misfortune, or a tribulation may bare his knees and arms to the elbows and stick them, as well as his chest, to the ground and supplicate for the settlement of his problem.�

Eleventh: Ibn B�bawayh, through a valid chain of authority, reports Imam al-��diq (`a) as saying: When a servant repeats the following  prayer three times while prostrating, the Blessed and Exalted Lord will answer him, �Here I am to respond to you, My servant! Ask for what you need.�

In the book of Mak�rim al-Akhl�q, it is recorded that when a servant prostrates himself and repeats the following  prayer all in one breath, the Blessed and Exalted Lord will answer him, �Here I am to respond to you. What do you need?�

Twelfth: In the book of Mak�rim al-Akhl�q too, Imam al-��diq (`a) is reported to have related that the Holy Prophet (�) passed by a prostrating man and could hear him saying this  prayer:

The Holy Prophet (�) said to him, �Raise your head. Your prayer has been responded. You have just prayed Allah with the  prayer of a prophet who lived among the people of `�d.�

Mentioning the thanksgiving prostration, Shaykh al-��s�, in his book of Mi�b�� al-Mutahajjid, says that it is recommended to pray for one�s brothers-in-faith while prostrating. The following  prayer is thus advisable:

Once you raise your head from prostration, you may pass your hand over the place of prostration and then pass it on your right cheek, forehead, and left cheek respectively three times, repeating each time the following 

2) Supplication in Prostration
Among the best conditions in which supplication and invocation has been emphasised is the state of prostration in front of the Creator, the Lord. For, it is the most proximate of states for the fulfillment of  needs, as the traditions from the Imams (a.s.) have testified. So, it is only appropriate that a person should ask for the most important things during this condition. Special accentuation is for the �Prostration of Gratitude� (Sajdah al-Shukr), where we thank the Almighty Allah for all the bounties that He has conferred on us due to the blessings of our master, Saaheb al-Zamaan (a.t.f.s.).
And know that invoking for the master of the bounties and their medium, is among the most important types of appreciation. Eloquent witness for this claim is the supplication that has come down for Sajda al-Shukr, narrated in the book Tohfah al-Abrar,narrating from al-Muqneah of Shaykh Mufeed (a.r.) which is as follows,
اََللّهُم اِلَيْكَ تَوَ جّهْتُ وَ بِكَ اعْتَصَمْتُ وَ عَلَيْكَ تَوَ كَلْتُ، اََللّهُم اَنْتَ
ثِقَتِىْ وَ رَجَائِىْ، فَاکْفِنِىْ مَا اَهَمّنِىْ وَ مَا لَمْ يُهِمّنِىْ وَ مَا اَنْتَ اَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنّىْ،
عَزّ جَارُكَ وَ جَلّ ثَنَاؤُكَ وَ لَ اِلٰهَ غَيْرُكَ، صَلّ عَلٰی مُحَمّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمّدٍ وَ
عَجّلْ فَرَجَهُمْ...
1 Al-Ehtejaaj, vol. 2, p. 484; Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 84, p. 359 & vol.
53, p. 16; Saheefah al-Mahdi (a.s.), p. 62.

IMAGE FORMATS

Numerous supplications have been reported :-

First: Through a valid chain of authority, Imam al-Ri�� (`a) is reported to have instructed that one may repeat the following word one hundred times in thanksgiving prostrations:

One may also repeat the following word one hundred times:

In the book of `Uy�n Akhb�r al-Ri��, it is reported on the authority of Raj�' ibn Abi�l-�a���k that Imam al-Ri�� (`a), on his way to Khur�s�n, used to prostrate himself after the Zohar Prayer  and repeat the following phrase one hundred times:

Second: Sheikh Kulayni has reported from an authentic source that Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has stated that man is closest to Allah at the time when he is in sijdah addressing Him; when in sijdah, he should say: 

Third: Kulayni has reported from a reliable source that Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has stated that he had heard his father one night weeping in sijdah in a mosque and supplicating:

Fourth: Kulayni has reported from an authentic source that Imam Moosa (a.s.) used to recite the following in sijdah: 

Fifth: Kulayni has also reported from an authentic source that a man complained to Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that the mother of his child was sick. The Imam asked him to recite in the sijdah of thanks after every obligatory salaat: 

and then ask for his wishes. 

Sixth: It is stated in very reliable report that Imam Sadiq (a.s.) and Imam Kadhim (a.s.) said numerous times in the sijdah of thanks:

Seventh: It has been authentically reported form Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that he would say in sijdah: 

Eight: It is reported in some of the authentic books that Imam Ameeril Mu'mineen (a.s.) has stated that the best utterance in the eyes of Allah is to say three times in sijdah:

Ninth: It is reported from an authentic source in 'Ja'feriyyat' that Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has stated that the Holy Messenger (saww) used to say in sijdah: 

Tenth: Qutub Rawandi has reported from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that if a person in hardship and grief becomes depressed having reached his limit of tolerance, he should prostrate in sijdah and say: 

In 'Iddat-ul-Daee" it is reported from the Imam (a.s.) that if a man feels anguish and grief he should make bare his knees and hands upto his elbows and place them on the ground and bring his chest to the ground and ask for his wishes. 

Eleventh: Ibne Babawayah reports from an authentic source that Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has stated that when a person says thrice in sijdah: Ya Allaho ya rabbaho ya saidaho. O Allah! O my Lord! O my Master!

Allah responds, "Labaik, O my creature, ask for your wishes. It is stated in "Makarimul Akhlaq' that whoever says in sijdah: Ya rabbaho ya saidaho O my Lord! O my Master!  till his full breath, Allah invites him to ask for his wishes. 

Twelfth: It is reported in 'Makarimul Akhlaq' from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that the Holly Messenger (saww) passed by a man who was reciting in sijdah: 

Ya rabbay majaalaykah antulji anni kulloh mankanah lahoo indi ta abata wa an tagfirli zoonoobi wa antood khilanil zaanaatah ba rahmatekah fainaamah afooka anniz jalayminah wa anna minazalaymina fal tasaani rahmatoka ya arrhaamarrahaymin. 

The Holy Messenger (saww) asked him to lift his head as his wishes had been granted as he had recited a supplication of the Prophets of the people of Aad. 

The late author states that he has set out some supplications of Mafatihul Jinaan to be recited in the Mosque of Kufa and the Mosque of Zaid and which can also be recited in the sijdah of thanks. 

Sheikh Toosi has stated in 'Misbah' that it is recommended to pray for one's brothers in the sijdah of thanks and say: 

SUPPPLICATION OF IMAM ALI (A.S.)

IN THE PROSTRATIONOF GRATIFICATION

NARRATED BY IMAM MAHDI (A.S.)

(It has arrived in the continuation of the previous narration) After this supplication, he looked at his right and left, and said:

            Do you know what the Commander of the Faithful used to say regarding the prostration of gratification?

            We asked: What did he say?

            He replied: He used to say:

يا مَنْ لا يَزيدُهُ إِلْحاحُ الْمُلِحّينَ إِلّا جُوداً وَكَرَماً ، يا مَنْ لَهُ خَزائِنُ السَّماواتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ، يا مَنْ لَهُ خَزائِنُ ما دَقَّ وَجَلَّ ، لاتَمْنَعُكَ إِساءَتي مِنْ إِحْسانِكَ إِلَيَّ .

    إِنّي أَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَفْعَلَ بي ما أَنْتَ أَهْلُهُ ، وَأَنْتَ أَهْلُ الْجُودِ وَالْكَرَمِ وَالْعَفْوِ يا رَبَّاهُ يا اَللَّهُ ، إِفْعَلْ بي ما أَنْتَ أَهْلُهُ ، فَأَنْتَ قادِرٌ عَلَى الْعُقُوبَةِ وَقَدِ اسْتَحْقَقْتُها ، لا حُجَّةَ لي ، وَلا عُذْرَ لي عِنْدَكَ .

    أَبُوءُ إِلَيْكَ بِذُنُوبي كُلِّها ، وَأَعْتَرِفُ بِها  كَيْ تَعْفُوَ عَنّي ، وَأَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِها مِنّي ، بُؤْتُ إِلَيْكَ بِكُلِّ ذَنْبٍ أَذْنَبْتُهُ ، وَبِكُلِّ خَطيئَةٍ أَخْطَأْتُها ، وَبِكُلِّ سَيِّئَةٍ عَمِلْتُها ، يا رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لي وَارْحَمْ وَتَجاوَزْ عَمَّا تَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْأَعَزُّ الْأَكْرَمُ.

�O� He who�s not exceeded by the persistence of the persistent except for Generosity and Kindness, O� He who owns the treasures of the Heavens and the Earth, O� He who owns the treasures of all the big and small things, my sins do not prevent You from Your Favours towards me. Indeed I beseech You to do with me that which You are worthy of, and You are worthy of Generosity and Kindness and Forgiveness, O� My Lord, O� Allah, do with me what You are worthy of, thus You have Power over punishment and verily I deserve it, I do not have any argument for myself, nor any excuse for myself near You, I present all my sins before You and I confess upon all of them so that You Forgive me, and You Know about me more than I do, I confess about every sin I committed and every mistake I did and every wrongdoing I enacted, O� My Lord, forgive me and have Mercy upon me and pardon me from all that You know, indeed You are the Dignified and the Respectful.[1]

Thanksgiving Prostration (Sajdat al-Shukr) from BAQIYATUS SALEHAT 

Merits

Once you finish the post-prayer utterances, you may do the thanksgiving prostration. As is unanimously agreed by all Sh�`ite scholars, thanksgiving prostration may be done whenever a new bliss is obtained or a misfortune is fended off. It is most favorable to do it after the prayers as expression of thanks to Almighty Allah for performing the prayer.

Through a valid chain of authority, Imam al-B�qir (`a) is reported to have said, �Whenever (Imam) `Al� ibn al-�usayn (`a) remembered a grace of Allah the Almighty and Majestic, he would prostrate. Whenever he recited a verse from the Book of Allah in which prostration is mentioned, he would prostrate. Whenever Almighty Allah warded off from him an evil that he feared, he would prostrate. Whenever he accomplished an obligatory prayer, he would prostrate. Whenever he was granted success to conciliate between two persons, he would prostrate.�
 

The traces of prostration were seen in all organs of prostration in his body; therefore, he was called the Prostrating (al-Sajj�d).

Through an authentic chain of authority, Imam al-��diq (`a) is reported to have said, �Whenever a faithful believer prostrates himself before Almighty Allah as expression of thanks for a grace in other than a prayer, Almighty Allah will certainly record for him ten rewards, erase from him ten sins, and raise him ten ranks in Paradise.�

Through a valid chain of authority too, Imam al-��diq (`a) is also reported to have said, �The nearest position a servant may be to Almighty Allah is when he prostrates himself and weeps.�

Through another authentic chain of authority, Imam al-��diq (`a) is also reported to have said: The thanksgiving prostration is obligatory upon all Muslims. Through it, you make your prayers perfect and attain your Lord�s pleasure and the angels� admiration. When a servant does a thanksgiving prostration after a prayer, the Exalted Lord removes the screen between the angels and that servant, saying to them, �O my angels, look at this servant of Mine. He has carried out his duty towards Me, perfected his pledge to Me, and then prostrated himself before Me as expression of thanking Me for what I have given him of my graces. O my angels! What will I grant him?�

The angels will answer, �O our Lord! Grant him Your mercy.�  Then the Blessed and Exalted Lord will say, �What more will I grant him?�  The angels will answer, �O our Lord! Grant him Your Paradise.�

Then the Blessed and Exalted Lord will say, �What more will I grant him?� The angels will answer, �O our Lord! Grant him settlement of what concerns him.�

The Blessed and Exalted Lord will keep on asking them and the angels will answer with similar answers, leaving no single item of goodness. Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, will then say, �What more will I grant him?�

 The angels will then answer, �O our Lord! We do not know.� Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, will say, �I will thank him just as he has thanked Me, attend him with My graces, and show him My great mercy on the Resurrection Day.�

Through an authentic chain of authority, Imam al-��diq (`a) is also reported to have said, �Almighty Allah has taken (Prophet) Abraham as His friend just because he used to prostrate himself on the ground very frequently.�

According to another validly reported tradition, Imam al-��diq (`a) is reported to have said, �Whenever you remember any of Almighty Allah�s favors to you and you are in a place where no dissident can see you, you should place your cheek on the ground (i.e. prostrating yourself before Almighty Allah). When you are in a place where you fear lest a dissident can see you, you may bow yourself in submission to Almighty Allah by putting your hand under your stomach to make the dissident believe that you have been affected by colic.�

According to many traditions, Almighty Allah revealed to Prophet Moses (`a), saying, �Do you know why I have chosen you to speak to Me over My other creatures?�

�No, I do not, my Lord,� answered Moses (`a).

Almighty Allah said, �O Moses, I had turned over all My servants, but I could not find any one of them more submissive to Me than you are. O Moses, whenever you prayed, you would place your cheeks on the soil.�

Through an authenticated chain of authority, Imam al-Ri�� (`a) is reported to have said, �A prostration after an obligatory prayer is an expression of thanking Almighty Allah for granting His servant success to carry out his duty towards Him. The least of what can be said while prostrating is to repeat the following words three times:

�What is the meaning of Thanks to Allah?� the reporter asked, and the Imam (`a) answered, �It means that this prostration is a thanksgiving from me to Almighty Allah for the success that He has granted me to serve Him and carry out my duty towards Him. Verily, thanking Almighty Allah increases graces and grants more success to obey Him. If it happens that a prayer is still imperfect and the supererogatory prayer has not covered that imperfection, then this thanksgiving prostration will perfect it.�

Method of Thanksgiving Prostration

The validity of thanksgiving prostration is not conditional upon any thing; it is therefore acceptable to do it any way one chooses. However, it is precautionary to prostrate on the ground, to use the seven organs of prostration that are used in the prostrations of prayers, to put the forehead on a thing acceptable to prostrate on, and to more preferably stick your arms and abdomen to the ground on the contrary of what is done in the prostrations of prayers. One of the traditions of thanksgiving prostrations is to put the forehead on the ground, the right and then the left cheeks, and then return to the normal position of prostration; that is putting the forehead on the ground again. Therefore, this prostration is sometimes called the two thanksgiving prostrations. Apparently, it is unobjectionable to prostrate oneself on the ground without uttering any supplication or doxology although it is a tradition to say any statement while prostrating oneself.

It is therefore more preferable to choose any statement from the following utterances of thanksgiving prostration.

It is also recommended to prolong the prostration. Imam al-K��im (`a) is reported to have kept himself in the position of prostration from post-dawning up to midday and from post-afternoon up to sunset.

According to another tradition, for more than ten years, Imam al-K��im (`a) used to prostrate himself every day for the space of time between the first light up to midday.

Through an authentic chain of authority, Imam al-Ri�� (`a) is reported to have prostrated himself for such a long time that the pebbles of the mosque would be wet by his sweat and he used to stick his two cheeks to the ground of the mosque.

The following is quoted from al-Kashsh��s famous book of biographies of narrators (i.e. Kit�b al-Rij�l): Al-Fa�l ibn Sh�dh�n said that he, once, visited Mu�ammad ibn Ab�-`Umayr and found him in the state of a very long prostration. When he raised his head, al-Fa�l asked him about such a long prostration. Mu�ammad answered, �What will you say if you see the prostration of Jam�l ibn Darr�j? One day, I visited him and found him in a state of prostration, which took very long time. When he raised his head, I asked him about that very long prostration. Jam�l said, �What will you say if you see the prostration of Ma`r�f ibn Kharrab�z?��

In another narration, al-Fa�l ibn Sh�dh�n related that �asan ibn `Al� ibn Fadhdh�l used to go out for serving Almighty Allah. He used to prostrate himself for such a long time that even birds would fall down on him, thinking that he was a piece of cloth or a rotten material. When beasts grazed around him, they would not run away, because they would not feel any thing strange.

In another narration, it is reported that `Al� ibn Mahziy�r would fall in prostration at sunrise and would not raise his head before he supplicated for the good of one thousand persons of his brethren-in-faith as same as he would supplicate for himself. Because of such very long prostrations, there was a mark on his forehead similar to the marks found on camels� knees.

In another narration, it is reported that Ibn Ab�-`Umayr used to prostrate himself after the Dawn Prayer and raise it at the Noon (�uhr) Prayer.

It is better to do the thanksgiving prostrations immediately after the post-prayer utterances and before the supererogatory prayers except for the Sunset (Maghrib) Prayers, because the majority of scholars believe that the thanksgiving prostration after this prayer should be done after the supererogatory prayer, while others see the opposite. Hence, to do it according to any party�s notion is good enough although it may be more preferable to precede it to the supererogatory prayers, according to the report of al-�imyar� from the Awaited Imam, may Allah hasten his reappearance. To solve the question, it must be more preferable to do it before and after the supererogatory prayers.