Sajdah (Prostration)
Prostration with the forehead on the ground — the most humble position in prayer.
Sajdah (Arabic: سجدة), also called sujud, is the act of bowing down with the forehead, nose, both hands, knees and toes on the ground. It is the most humble position in the Islamic prayer and the moment when the worshipper is closest to Allah.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The closest a servant is to his Lord is when he is in sajdah, so make much du'a (supplication) therein." During sajdah, one says "Subhana Rabbi al-A'la" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) three times.
Sajdah is performed twice in each rak'ah with a short sitting pause in between. It is also possible to perform sajdah outside of the prayer as an expression of gratitude (sujud ash-shukr) or upon recitation of certain Quran verses (sujud at-tilawah).
Related terms
Ikhlas (Sincerity)
Pure sincerity in worship — acting solely for the sake of Allah.
Ramadan (The Month of Fasting)
The holy month of fasting, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Tirmidhi's Hadith Collection)
One of the six canonical hadith collections, known for its classification of narrations by strength.
Khushu (Humility in Prayer)
Inner humility, focus and devotion during prayer.
Nafilah (Voluntary Prayer)
Voluntary extra prayers beyond the five obligatory daily prayers.
Salat al-Jama'ah (Congregational Prayer)
The congregational prayer, where Muslims pray together in rows behind an imam.