Objects on which (sajdah) prostration is valid

1. Plants that are edible in some regions or by some people, even if others do not eat them, are considered edible, and prostration (sajdah) on them is not valid.

2. Prostrating (sajdah) on a piece of paper made of wood or plants other than flax and cotton is valid.

Ayatollah Sistani: If the paper used for writing is made from something upon which prostration is valid — such as wood or straw — then it is permissible to prostrate on it. The same ruling applies if it is made from cotton or linen. However, if it is made from silk or similar materials, prostration on it is not valid. As for tissues (paper napkins), one may prostrate on them only if it is known that they are made from a material upon which prostration is valid.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: It is permissible to prostrate on paper unless one is certain that it is made from cotton or other materials upon which prostration is legally invalid. Since most paper today is made from wood — or at least there is doubt as to what it is made from — prostration on it is permissible.

3. If one does not have anything on which prostration (sajdah) is permissible, or if one has such a thing but cannot perform prostration (sajdah) on it due to severe heat or cold, one should prostrate (sajdah) on one’s clothes or something else made of flax or cotton. By way of obligatory precaution, if it is possible to prostrate on clothes made of cotton or flax, a person should not prostrate on clothes which are not made of cotton or flax. If, however, one does not have such clothing, one may perform prostration (sajdah) on the back of one’s hand, by way of obligatory precaution.

Ayatollah Sistani: If one does not have anything upon which prostration is valid, or if such an item exists but due to extreme cold, heat, or similar reasons one cannot prostrate on it, then prostration on pitch or tar takes precedence over prostration on other things. If even that is not possible, one should prostrate on one’s clothing or on anything else upon which prostration is normally invalid. However, it is recommended as a precaution that as long as it is possible to prostrate on one’s clothing, one should not prostrate on anything else.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: If one does not have anything upon which prostration is valid, or due to excessive heat or cold cannot prostrate on it, then one should prostrate on one’s clothing if it is made of linen or cotton. If the clothing is made of another material (for example, wool), one may prostrate on that or on a carpet. If that too is not possible, then one should prostrate on metals or other mineral substances. And if nothing at all can be found upon which to prostrate, one should prostrate on the back of one’s hand. Thus, the back of the hand is the last option upon which prostration may be performed.

4. If while offering prayer one loses the object on one is performing prostration (sajdah) and has nothing else on which prostration (sajdah) is valid, one should break the prayer if there is enough time. However, if the time for prayer is too short, one should act according to the previous rule.

Ayatollah Sistani: If, during the prayer, the item on which one performs prostration is lost, and one does not have anything else upon which prostration is valid, and it is not possible to retrieve it without invalidating the prayer, then one may act according to the procedure mentioned in the previous ruling (no. 3), whether the time for prayer is limited or sufficient to break the prayer and perform it again.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: If, in the middle of the prayer, the item upon which prostration is valid is lost — for example, if a child takes it away — then, if there is still time left for prayer, one should complete the prayer and, as a precaution, perform it again. If the time is too short, no make-up (qaḍāʾ) is required. In both cases, one should act according to the order mentioned in the previous two rulings.

5. When one has to observe dissimulation (taqiyyah), one can perform prostration (sajdah) on a carpet or other similar object, and it is not necessary for one to go somewhere else to perform the prayer. In case, however, one can perform prostration (sajdah) in the same place on a straw mat, stone, or the like without any difficulty, one should do so by way of obligatory precaution.

Recommended acts of Sajdah

1. The best object to use for prostration (sajdah) is soil from the earth, because using it is a sign of humility before Almighty Allah, and no other soil approaches the great merits of the blessed soil taken from the grave of Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him).

2. It is recommended (mustaḥab) to perform certain deeds in prostration (sajdah):

• It is recommended (mustaḥab) to glorify Allah by saying “Allaho akbar” (takbīr) before performing the prostration (sajdah) while the body is still.
• When the body is still after the first prostration (sajdah), it is mustahab to say “astaghfirullāha rabbī wa atūbu ilayh”.
• To prolong one’s prostration (sajdah), one can recite remembrance of Allah (dhikr), supplicate for one’s requests in this world and the hereafter, and supplicate for blessings upon the Prophet and his family (ṣalawāt).
• One may repeat the remembrance of Allah (dhikr) of prostration (sajdah) so that it is said an odd number of times.
• After performing prostration (sajdah), it is recommended (mustaḥab) to sit on one’s left thigh, placing the instep of the right foot on the sole of the left foot.
• It is recommended (mustaḥab) to say the following remembrance of Allah (dhikr) while standing up for the next unit (rak’ah): “biḥawlillāhi wa qu-u wwatihi aqūmu wa aq‘ūd” (by the power of God I get up and sit).

Undesirable (Makruh) & Prohibited (Haram) acts of Sajdah

1. It is undesirable [repugnant or repulsive] (makrūh) to recite the Quran while performing prostration (sajdah).

2. It is prohibited (haram) to perform prostration (sajdah) for anyone other than Almighty Allah. If one places one’s forehead on the earth before the last entrance to the shrine, i.e., under the dome of the shrines of the Infallible Imams (pbut), with the intention of prostrating to thank Almighty Allah, there is no problem with it; otherwise, it is forbidden.

Ayatollah Sistani: Prostrating to anyone other than Almighty God is forbidden. As for some people who places one’s foreheads on the ground before the graves of the Imams (peace be upon them), if one does it as an expression of gratitude to Almighty God, there is no problem; otherwise, it is problematic.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: Prostrating to anyone other than Almighty God is forbidden. As for some ordinary people who place one’s forehead on the ground before the graves of the Imams (peace be upon them), if it is done with the intention of prostrating to the Imam (peace be upon him), it is a forbidden act. But if it is done to thank God, there is no problem. However, if it appears to onlookers as though one is prostrating to the Imam (peace be upon him), or it gives enemies an excuse for accusation, then it is objectionable.