(Q&A) Forgot the First Tashahhud and Only Remembered the Next Day

Question,

“Ustadz, what is the ruling on this: yesterday I forgot to perform the first tashahhud during the Maghrib prayer. I prayed at home because it was raining. Do I have to repeat my Maghrib prayer from yesterday, Ustadz?”

Answer,

The scholars of the four schools of thought (madzhab) agree that the sitting for the first tashahhud and its recitation are not among the pillars (arkan) of prayer (1). The exception is the Zhahiri school, which considers it a pillar (fardhu). Nevertheless, according to the Zhahiris, the prayer remains valid if the first tashahhud is omitted due to forgetfulness, but it must be compensated for with the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud sahwi) (2). Meanwhile, the scholars of the four schools affirm that the first tashahhud is not a pillar of prayer. However, these scholars differ in how they view the status of the first tashahhud.

The Hanafis and Hanbalis regard the first tashahhud as an obligation (wajib) within the prayer, not a pillar. If it is omitted due to forgetfulness, then sujud sahwi is mandatory, and the prayer remains valid even if one forgets to perform sujud sahwi. Imam Al-Kasani from the Hanafis, when explaining the mandatory acts of prayer, stated:

(وَمِنْهَا) الْقَعْدَةُ الْأُولَى لِلْفَصْلِ بَيْنَ الشَّفْعَيْنِ، حَتَّى لَوْ تَرَكَهَا عَامِدًا كَانَ مُسِيئًا وَلَوْ تَرَكَهَا سَاهِيًا يَلْزَمُهُ سُجُودُ السَّهْوِ؛ لِأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَاظَبَ عَلَيْهَا فِي جَمِيعِ عُمُرِهِ، وَذَا يَدُلُّ عَلَى الْوُجُوبِ

“Among them is the first sitting to separate every two rak'ahs (first tashahhud). If one leaves it intentionally, he has done wrong (sinned). If he leaves it out of forgetfulness, he is required to perform sujud sahwi. This is because the Prophet ﷺ performed it consistently throughout his life, and this indicates its obligatoriness.” (Badai’ As-Shanai’, 1/163)

Imam Al-Hashakafi explained the consequences of omitting mandatory acts in prayer:

(وَلَهَا وَاجِبَاتٌ) لَا تَفْسُدُ بِتَرْكِهَا وَتُعَادُ وُجُوبًا فِي الْعَمْدِ وَالسَّهْوِ إنْ لَمْ يَسْجُدْ لَهُ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يُعِدْهَا يَكُونُ فَاسِقًا آثِمًا

“(Prayer has several obligations), which are things that do not invalidate the prayer if omitted, but it is mandatory to repeat the prayer if omitted intentionally, and likewise if forgotten but one does not perform the prostration (sahwi). If he does not repeat it, he becomes a transgressor (fasiq) and a sinner.” (Ad-Durr Al-Mukhtar, 1/64)

The obligation to perform sujud sahwi is bound by time according to the Hanafis. If that time passes, one is no longer required to perform it. Imam Ibnu Najim stated:

وَظَاهِرُ كَلَامِهِمْ أَنَّهُ إذَا لَمْ يَسْجُدْ فَإِنَّهُ يَأْثَمُ بِتَرْكِ الْوَاجِبِ وَلِتَرْكِ سُجُودِ السَّهْوِ... وَكُلُّ مَا يَمْنَعُ الْبِنَاءَ إذَا وُجِدَ بَعْدَ السَّلَامِ يَسْقُطُ السَّهْوُ

“The apparent meaning of their (Hanafi scholars) words is that if he does not prostrate, he sins for leaving the obligation and for leaving sujud sahwi... and everything that prevents the continuation of prayer (such as ritual impurity) if it occurs after the salam, causes the requirement for sujud sahwi to drop.” (Al-Bahr Ar-Raiq, 2/99) (3)

From this, it is clear that the Hanafi school does not consider the prayer of one who forgets the first tashahhud as void, but the person is required to perform sujud sahwi. If he forgets sujud sahwi, he is obligated to repeat the prayer, yet the prayer remains valid even if he does not repeat it, though he incurs a sin for not repeating it (4). This was mentioned by Imam Ibnu ‘Abidin:

وَهَلْ تَجِبُ الْإِعَادَةُ بِتَرْكِ سُجُودِ السَّهْوِ لِعُذْرٍ... وَاَلَّذِي يَظْهَرُ الْوُجُوبُ... لِأَنَّ النُّقْصَانَ لَمْ يَنْجَبِرْ بِجَابِرٍ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَأْثَمْ بِتَرْكِهِ

“Is it mandatory to repeat (the prayer) for omitting sujud sahwi due to an excuse, such as if he forgot it or the sun had already risen at dawn? I have not seen (an explanation), so let it be researched. However, what appears to be apparent is the obligation... because the deficiency was not compensated for, even though he does not sin for leaving it (due to forgetfulness).” (Radd Al-Mukhtar, 1/456)

The obligatoriness of the first tashahhud without making it a pillar is also affirmed by Hanbali scholars. Imam Ibrahim Ibnu Muflih stated:

(وَالتَّشَهُّدُ الْأَوَّلُ وَالْجُلُوسُ لَهُ) اخْتَارَهُ الْأَكْثَرُ، لِأَنَّهُ - عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ - فَعَلَهُ وَدَاوَمَ عَلَى فِعْلِهِ وَأَمَرَ بِهِ، وَسَجَدَ لِلسَّهْوِ حِينَ نَسِيَهُ...

“(The recitation and sitting for the first tashahhud). This is chosen by the majority (of Hanbali scholars). Because the Prophet ﷺ did it, was consistent in doing it, and commanded it, and he performed sujud sahwi when he forgot it...” (Al-Mubaddi’ fi Syarh Al-Muqni’, 1/444)

If one forgets sujud sahwi due to forgetting a mandatory act (like the first tashahhud), the prayer remains valid and repeating it is not mandatory. Imam Ibnu Qudamah Al-Maqdisi stated:

وَإِذَا نَسِيَ سُجُودَ السَّهْوِ حَتَّى طَالَ الْفَصْلُ لَمْ تَبْطُلْ الصَّلَاةُ

“If he forgets sujud sahwi until a long period of time has passed, the prayer is not invalidated.” (Al-Mughni, 2/28)

The Maliki and Shafi'i schools consider the first tashahhud to be a Sunnah Muakkadah (emphasized sunnah), not reaching the level of obligation. Imam Khalil bin Ishaq, explaining the sunnahs of prayer in the Maliki school, wrote:

وَسُنَنُهَا سُورَةٌ بَعْدَ الْفَاتِحَةِ... وَكُلُّ تَشَهُدٍ وَالْجُلُوسُ الأَوَّلُ

“Its (prayer's) sunnahs are the surah after Al-Fatihah... every tashahhud, and the first sitting.” (Mukhtashar Al-Khalil p. 32)

Imam An-Nawawi mentioned that in the Shafi'i school, these are called ab’adh (parts of the prayer that, if omitted, are compensated by sujud sahwi):

وَالْأَبْعَاضُ سِتَّةٌ... وَالثَّالِثُ التَّشَهُّدُ الْأَوَّلُ وَالرَّابِعُ الْجُلُوسُ لَهُ

“The ab'adh are six... the third is the first tashahhud, and the fourth is the sitting for it.” (Al-Majmu’ Syarh Al-Muhaddzab, 3/517)

According to the Shafi'is, sujud sahwi is entirely sunnah. If it is omitted, it does not affect the validity of the prayer at all, whether omitted intentionally or due to forgetfulness (5).

Evidence & Reasoning

The evidence used by the four schools is the Sunnah Fi’liyah (action) of the Prophet ﷺ. Abdullah bin Buhainah narrated:

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَلَّى بِهِمُ الظَّهْرَ، فَقَامَ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ الأُولَيَيْنِ لَمْ يَجْلِسْ، فَقَامَ النَّاسُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى إِذَا قَضَى الصَّلاَةَ وَانْتَظَرَ النَّاسُ تَسْلِيمَهُ كَبَّرَ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ، فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ، ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ

  

“The Prophet ﷺ led them in the Dhuhr prayer. He stood up after the first two rak'ahs without sitting. The people stood up with him. When he was finishing the prayer and the people were waiting for his salam, he said 'Allahu Akbar' while sitting and performed two prostrations before the salam, then he performed the salam.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari: 829 and Muslim: 570)

  

The reasoning is that if the first tashahhud were a pillar, the Prophet ﷺ would not have omitted it and would have repeated it if he had forgotten. His action of replacing it with sujud sahwi proves it is not a pillar.

Furthermore, regarding the validity of the prayer of one who forgets, Allah says:

رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا

“Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred...” (Al-Baqarah: 286)

Conclusion

For a person who misses the first tashahhud due to forgetfulness, sujud sahwi is required. If he forgets sujud sahwi and a long time has passed (as in your question, since it happened yesterday), the prayer is valid according to the consensus of the four schools. You do not need to repeat the prayer, nor do you need to perform sujud sahwi anymore according to the majority (Malikis, Shafi'is, and Hanbalis). While the Hanafis recommend repeating it to perfect the prayer, they still consider the original prayer valid (7). Wallahu a’lam.