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
Eid al-Ghadir (The Ghadir Festival)
Shia festival commemorating the Prophet's appointment of Imam Ali as his successor.
Shahadah (Declaration of Faith)
The first pillar of Islam: the testimony that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger.
Mihrab (Prayer Niche)
The semicircular niche in the mosque wall that indicates the qibla direction.
Sunnah (Voluntary Prayer)
Voluntary prayers based on the Prophet's practice.
Masjid al-Haram (The Sacred Mosque)
The holiest mosque in Islam, located in Mecca, which surrounds the Kaaba.
Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence)
The Islamic legal science that derives practical rules from the Quran and Sunnah.