Sajda Shukr /Thanksgiving Prostration
Significance

Sajda Shukr from Sahifa Alavia 111-114

Sajda from Sahifa Radhvia Ch8
Sajda of Hz. Ibrahim (as)
In sijda Say "Alhamdolillah" then keep forehead on right side say "Shukranlillah" , then Left side say "Astagfirullah"

Zikr of Yunisiya
لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ انْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ
la ilaha illa anta subhanaka
“There is no god save You. Be You Glorified!

إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّالِمِينَ
inni kuntu min alzzalimina
Lo! I have been a wrongdoer.”


First: Imam al-Rida (`a) is reported to have instructed that one may repeat the following word one hundred times in thanksgiving prostrations:

شُكْراً شُكْراً
shukran shukran
Thanks, thanks.
One may also repeat the following word one hundred times:
عَفْواً عَفْواً
`afwan `afwan
Pardon! Pardon!
In the book of `Uyun Akhbar al-Rida, it is reported on the authority of Raja' ibn Abi’l-Taglhak that Imam al-Rida (`a), on his way to Khurasan, used to prostrate himself after the post-Afternoon Prayer utterances and repeat the following phrase one hundred times:
حَمْداً لِلَّهِ
hamdan lillahi
Praise be to Allah.


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

يَا رَبَّ ٱلارْبَابِ
ya rabba al-arbabi
O Lord of all lords,

وَيَا مَلِكَ ٱلْمُلُوكِ
wa ya malika almuluki
O King of all kings,

وَيَا سَيِّدَ ٱلسَّادَاتِ
wa ya sayyida alssadati
O master of all masters,

وَيَا جَبَّارَ ٱلْجَبَابِرَةِ
wa ya jabbara aljababirati
O Omnipotent of all the omnipotent,

وَيَا إِلٰهَ ٱلآلِهَةِ
wa ya ilaha al-alihati
and O God of all gods,

صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ…
salli `ala muhammadin wa ali muhammadin…
(please) send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad…

You may now pray Him to grant you your request.
After that, you may say:
فَإِنِّي عَبْدُكَ نَاصِيَتِي فِي قَبْضَتِكَ
fa'inni `abduka nasiyati fi qabdatika
For I am Your servant and my forelock is in Your grasp.
You may then pray Almighty Allah, for He is forgiver of all sins and no problem is unsolvable for Him.
Third: Al-Kulayni has reported through an authenticated chain of authority that Imam al-Sadiq (`a) said: One night, I saw my father prostrating himself in the mosque. I could hear him saying with tender tone:

سُبْحَانَكَ ٱللَّهُمَّ
subhanaka allahumma
All glory be to You, O Allah.

انْتَ رَبِّي حَقّاً حَقّاً
anta rabbi haqqan haqqan
You are my Lord, truly, truly.

سَجَدْتُ لَكَ يَا رَبِّ تَعَبُّداً وَرِقّاً
sajadtu laka ya rabbi ta`abbudan wa riqqan
I prostrate myself before You, O my Lord, out of my servitude and subjugation to You.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ عَمَلِي ضَعِيفٌ فَضَاعِفْهُ لِي
allahumma inna `amali da`ifun fada`ifhu li
O Allah, my deed is certainly feeble; so, (please do) grant it strength by increasing it many times.

اللَّهُمَّ قِنِي عَذَابَكَ يَوْمَ تَبْعَثُ عِبَادَكَ
allahumma qini `adhabaka yawma tab`athu `ibadaka
O Allah, (please) save me from Your chastisement on the day when You shall resurrect Your servants,

وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ إِنَّكَ انْتَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
wa tub `alayya innaka anta alttawwabu alrrahimu
and (please) accept my repentance. Verily, You are the Oft-Returning, the Most Merciful.


Fourth: Through a valid chain of authority, al-Kulayni also reports that Imam Musa al-Kazim (`a) used to say the following supplicatory prayer while prostrating himself:

اعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ نَارٍ حَرُّهَا لاَ يُطْفَىٰ
a`udhu bika min narin harruha la yutfa
I pray for Your protection against the fire whose heat is inextinguishable.

وَاعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ نَارٍ جَدِيدُهَا لاَ يَبْلىٰ
wa a`udhu bika min narin jadiduha la yabla
I pray for Your protection against the fire whose newness never decays.

وَاعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ نَارٍ عَطْشَانُهَا لاَ يُرْوىٰ
wa a`udhu bika min narin`atshanuha la yurwa
I pray for Your protection against the fire whose thirsty is never quenched.

وَاعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ نَارٍ مَسْلُوبُهَا لاَ يُكْسَىٰ
wa a`udhu bika min narin maslubuha la yuksa
I pray for Your protection against the fire whose disrobed is never clothed.


Fifth: Through a valid chain of authority, al-Kulayni also reports that a man complained to Imam al-Sadiq (`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

يَا رَؤُوفُ يَا رَحِيمُ
ya ra'ufu ya rahimu
O All-kind! O All-merciful!
يَا رَبِّ يَا سَيِّدِي
ya rabbi ya sayyidi
O my Lord! O my Master!
You may then pray Him to grant you your request.


Sixth: Through several valid chains of authority, Imam al-Sadiq and Imam al-Kazim (`a) are reported to have very frequently said the following supplicatory prayer when they did the thanksgiving prostrations:

اسْالُكَ ٱلرَّاحَةَ عِنْدَ ٱلْمَوْتِ
as'aluka alrrahata `inda almawti
I beseech You for rest at death

وَٱلْعَفْوَ عِنْدَ ٱلْحِسَابِ
wal`afwa `inda alhisabi
and pardon at (final) judgment.


Seventh: Through an authentic chain of authority, it is reported that Imam al-Sadiq (`a) used to say the following statement when he prostrated himself:
سَجَدوَجْهِيَ ٱللَّئِيمُ لِوَجْهِ رَبِّيَ ٱلْ
sajada wajhiya alla'imu liwajhi rabbiya alkarimi
My mean face is prostrating before My Lord’s Noble Face.

Eighth: In some reference books, it is reported that Imam `Ali Amir al-Mu'minin (`a) said: The most favorite words to Almighty Allah is that when a servant (of Him) prostrates himself, he should repeat the following statement three times:

إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَٱغْفِرْ لِي
inni zalamtu nafsi faghfir li
I have wronged myself; so, (please) forgive me.

Ninth: In the book of al-Ja`fariyyat, it is recorded through an authentic chain of authority that Imam al-Sadiq (`a) quoted the Holy Prophet (s) to have used to said when he placed his face on the ground for prostration:

اللَّهُمَّ مَغْفِرَتُكَ اوْسَعُ مِنْ ذُنُوبِي
allahumma maghfiratuka awsa`u min dhunubi
O Allah, Your forgiveness is more expansive than my sin

وَرَحْمَتُكَ ارْجَىٰ عِنْدِي مِنْ عَمَلِي
wa rahmatuka arja `indi min `amali
and Your mercy is more hopeful for me than my deeds.

فَٱغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي يَا حَيّاً لاَ يَمُوتُ
faghfir li dhunubi ya hayyan la yamutu
So, (please) forgive my sins. O He Who is Ever-living and never dies!


Tenth: Al-Qutb al-Rawandi has reported Imam al-Sadiq (`a) to have said: Whenever an ordeal or agony afflict or accumulate against you, you may prostrate on the ground and say:

يَا مُذِلَّ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ
ya mudhilla kulli jabbarin
O Humiliator of all tyrants!
يَا مُعِزَّ كُلِّ ذَلِيلٍ
ya mu`izza kulli dhalilin
O Dignifier of all humble ones!
قَدْ وَحَقِّكَ بَلَغَ مَجْهُودِي
qad wa haqqika balagha majhudi
I, swearing by You, have exerted all efforts;
فَصَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
fasalli `ala muhammadin wa ali muhammadin
so, (please) send blessings upon Muhammad and his Household
وَفَرِّجْ عَنِّي
wa farrij `annai
and relieve me.

In the book of `Uddat al-Da`i, Imam al-Sadiq (`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 Babawayh, through a valid chain of authority, reports Imam al-Sadiq (`a) as saying: When a servant repeats the following supplicatory 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.” This is the prayer:
يَا اللَّهُ يَا رَبَّاهُ يَا سَيِّدَاهُ
ya allahu ya rabbahu ya sayyidahu
O Allah! O my Lord! O my Master!


In the book of Makarim al-Akhlaq, it is recorded that when a servant prostrates himself and repeats the following supplicatory prayer all in one breath, the Blessed and Exalted Lord will answer him, “Here I am to respond to you. What do you need?” This is the prayer:
يَا رَبَّاهُ يَا سَيِّدَاهُ
ya rabbahu ya sayyidahu
O my Lord! O my Master!

Twelfth: In the book of Makarim al-Akhlaq too, Imam al-Sadiq (`a) is reported to have related that the Holy Prophet (s) passed by a prostrating man and could hear him saying this prayer:
يَا رَبِّ مَاذَا عَلَيْكَ
ya rabbi madha `alayka
O my Lord, what will harm You
انْ تُرْضِيَ عَنِّي كُلَّ مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ عِنْدِي تَبِعَةٌ
an turdiya `anni kulla man kana lahu `indi tabi`atun
if You cause all those to whom I am indebted by a claim to be pleased with me,
وَانْ تَغْفِرَ لِي ذُنُوبِي
wa an taghfira li dhunubi
forgive my sins,
وَانْ تُدْخِلَنِي ٱلْجَنَّةَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ
wa an tudkhilani aljannata birahmatika
and allow me enter Paradise, out of Your mercy.
فَإِنَّمَا عَفْوُكَ عَنِ ٱلظَّالِمِينَ
fa'innama `afwuka `an alzzalimina
Verily, Your pardon is for the wrongdoers,
وَانَا مِنَ ٱلظَّالِمِينَ
wa ana min alzzalimina
and I am one of the wrongdoers;
فَلْتَسَعْنِي رَحْمَتُكَ يَا ارْحَمَ ٱلرَّاحِمِينَ
faltasa`ni rahmatuka ya arhama alrrahimina
so, (please) let Your mercy include me, O most Merciful of all those who show mercy.
The Holy Prophet (s) said to him, “Raise your head. Your prayer has been responded. You have just prayed Allah with the supplicatory prayer of a prophet who lived among the people of `aad.”

Sajda of Imam Kazim (as)after Isha
عَظُمَ الذَّنبُ مِنْ عَبْدِكَ فَليحسن العَفو مِن عِنْدك
The sins of mine are too big but your forgiveness is better

Imam Zainul `Ābidīn (a.s.) was in prostration (Sajdah) and was repeating some words. When I went near and listened, he was pronouncing these words,
إلٰهي عُبَيْدُكَ بِفِنَائِك ، مِسْكِينُكَ بِفِنَائِك ، فَقِيرُكَ بِفِنَائِك
“Ilāhī `Ubayduka bi Finā’ik; Miskīnuka bi Finā’ik, Faqīruka bi Finā’ik
(O Allāh ! Your slave is at Your dooryard; Your wretched one is at Your dooryard, Your destitute is at Your dooryard)”.


After this, whenever any tribulation or agony befell me, or I was afflicted with any illness, I fell into prostration (Sajdah) after the Prayers and repeated these words, I was relieved of them. While Finā’ means a dooryard. It means that, “Your slave, Your wretched-one and Your destitute is at Your dooryard, awaiting Your Mercy and is desirous of Your pardon and favour”. Then whoever pronounces these words sincerely, shall certainly have an effect, and whatever he desires, shall be fulfilled.






Mentioning the thanksgiving prostration, Shaykh al-Tusi, in his book of Misbah al-Mutahajjid, says that it is recommended to pray for one’s brothers-in-faith while prostrating. Say:
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ ٱلْفَجْرِ وَٱللَّيَالِي ٱلْعَشْرِ
allahumma rabba alfajri wallayali al`ashri
O Allah, O Lord of the daybreak, the ten nights,

وَٱلشَّفْعِ وَٱلْوَتْرِ
walshshaf`i walwatri
the even and the odd,

وَٱللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَسْرِ
wallayli idha yasri
and the night when it departs!

وَرَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
wa rabba kulli shay'in
O Lord of all things!

وَإِلٰهَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
wa ilaha kulli shay'in
O Lord of all things!

وَخَالِقَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
wa khaliqa kulli shay'in
O Creator of all things!

وَمَلِكَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
wa malika kulli shay'in
O King of all things!
صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ
salli `ala muhammadin wa alihi
(Please) send blessings upon Muhammad and his Household,

وَٱفْعَلْ بِي وَبِـ… مَا انْتَ اهْلُهُ
waf`al bi wa bi… ma anta ahluhu
do to me and to so-and-so that which befits You,

وَلاَ تَفْعَلْ بِنَا مَا نَحْنُ اهْلُهُ
wa la taf`al bina ma nahnu ahluhu
but do not do to us that which we deserve,

فَإِنَّكَ اهْلُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ وَاهْلُ ٱلْمَغْفِرَةِ
fa'innaka ahlu alttaqwa wa ahlu almaghfirati
for You are verily worthy to be feared and worthy to forgive.


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 supplicatory prayer:
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ ٱلْحَمْدُ
allahumma laka alhamdu
O Allah, all praise be to You;

لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلاََّ انْتَ
la ilaha illa anta
there is no god save You;

عَالِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَادَةِ
`alimu alghaybi walshshahadati
(You are) the Knower of all the unseen and the seen

ٱلرَّحْمٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
alrrahmanu alrrahimu
and You are the All-beneficent and All-merciful.

اللَّهُمَّ اذْهِبْ عَنِّي ٱلْهَمَّ وَٱلْحَزَنَ
allahumma adhhib `anniya alhamma walhazana
O Allah, (please) put away from me distress, grief,

وَٱلْغِيَرَ وَٱلْفِتَنَ
walghiyara walfitana
vicissitudes (of time), and seditious matters;

مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ
ma zahara minha wa ma batana
both the explicit and the implicit.

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.

Supplication for the appearance of Imam Mahdi (ajtf.s.)in the prostration of gratification
Sheikh Toosi (R.A.) mentions in his book ‘Misbah ul Mutahajjid’ that: offer the prostration of gratitude and recite that which Imam Kazim (A.S.) has written for Abdullah bin Jundab; recite the following supplication thrice in the state of prostration:
أَللَّهُمَّ إِنّي اُشْهِدُكَ ، وَاُشْهِدُ مَلائِكَتَكَ وَأَنْبِياءَكَ وَرُسُلَكَ وَجَميعَ خَلْقِكَ بِأَنَّكَ أَنْتَ اللَّهُ رَبّي ،
وَالْإِسْلامُ ديني ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ نَبِيّي ، وَعَلِيٌّ وَلِيّي ، وَالْحَسَنُ وَالْحُسَيْنُ وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ وَجَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُوسَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ مُوسى وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَالْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ وَالْخَلَفُ الصَّالِحُ صَلَواتُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَئِمَّتي ،
بِهِمْ أَتَوَلَّى ، وَمِنْ عَدُوِّهِمْ أَتَبَرَّءُ .
أَللَّهُمَّ إِنّي اُنْشِدُكَ دَمَ الْمَظْلُومِ .
“O’ Allah, I hold You witness, and I hold all Your angels and Prophets and Messengers and the entire creation witness on the fact that certainly You are Allah, My Lord, and my religion is Islam, and Mohammad is my Prophet, and Ali is my Guardian, and Hasan, Husain, Ali bn Husain, Mohamad bin Ali, Jafar bin Mohammad, Musa bin Jafar, Ali bin Musa, Mohammad bin Ali, Ali bin Mohammad, Hasan bin Ali, and their noble successor, peace be upon them, my Imams, I express my devotion towards them, and my dislike towards their enemies. O’ Allah, I adjure You for the blood of the oppressed.
Then repeat three times:
أَللَّهُمَّ إِنّي اُنْشِدُكَ بِوَأْيِكَ عَلى نَفْسِكَ لِأَوْلِيائِكَ ، لَتُظْهِرَنَّهُمْ عَلى عَدُوِّكَ وَعَدُوِّهِمْ أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى الْمُسْتَحْفَظينَ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ .
O’ Allah, I adjure You by the promise You made to Your friends that You will make them victorious over Your enemies and their enemies, I adjure You to bless Mohammad and the protectors from his household.
And repeat three times:
أَللَّهُمَّ إِنّي اُنْشِدُكَ بِإيوائِكَ عَلى نَفْسِكَ لِأَعْدائِكَ ، لَتُهْلِكَنَّهُمْ وَلَتُخْزِيَنَّهُمْ بَأَيْديهِمْ وَأَيْدِى الْمُؤْمِنينَ ، أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى الْمُسْتَحْفَظينَ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
O’ Allah, indeed I adjure You by the pledge You made to yourself regarding Your enemies that You will destroy them, and will humiliate them by their own hands and by the hands of the believers, I adjure You to bless Mohammad and the Protectors from Mohammad’s household.
And repeat three times:
أَللَّهُمَّ إِنّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْيُسْرَ بَعْدَ الْعُسْرِ
O’ Allah, I ask You for ease and relief after difficulties and hardships. [1]
[1] Misbahul Mutahajjid: p. 238
Wajib Sajda in Quran
There are 4 Ayat of the Quran that if one hears intentionally /recites any one of them, sajda becomes wajib. 1) Surah Sajdah 32:15 |2) Surah HaMim Sajdah 41:38 |3) Surah Najam 53:62 |4) Surah Alaq 96:19
it is Not wajib to recite anything.It is mustahab to recite any dhikr in sajda & Allahu Akbar on raising head from sajda. preferably the following:
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ حَقّاً حَقّاً
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ إِيمَاناً وَ تَصْدِيقاً
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ عُبُودِيَّةً وَ رِقّاً
سَجَدْتُ لَكَ يَا رَبِّ تَعَبُّداًوَ رِقّاً لَا مُسْتَنْكِفاً وَ لَا مُسْتَكْبِراً
بَلْ أَنَا عَبْدٌ ذَلِيلٌ خَائِفٌ مُسْتَجِير
La ilaha illal lahu haqqan haqqa; La ilaha illal lahu imanan wa tasdiqa; la ilaha illal lahu 'ubudiyyatan wa riqqa; Sajadtu laka ya Rabbi ta'abbudan wa riqqa la mustankifan wa la mustak biran bal ana 'abdun zalilun za'ifun kha'ifun mustajir.
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