It is Necessary to Fulfill the Vow of Performing Sajdah al-Shukr
Darulifta Ahlesunnat (Dawateislami)
Question
What do the noble scholars and jurists of Islamic law say about the following: (1) Zaid made a vow that if he gets this job, he will perform one hundred sajdahs of Shukr (prostrations of gratitude). Now that he has secured the job, is it wājib upon him to fulfill his vow of performing one hundred sajdahs?
(2) When performing sajdah al-shukr, is it fard to place one toe of either foot and wājib to place three toes of each foot on the ground, just like in the sajdah for salāh?
Answer
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
(1) In the inquired situation, it is wājib for Zaid to fulfill the vow of performing one hundred sajdahs of shukr because this is a sharʿī vow (i.e., a legally binding vow) as it fulfills all the conditions of becoming a sharʿī vow. That is, sajdah al-shukr is an ʿIbādah Maqsūdah (primarily intended worship), its category contains an act that is wājib (i.e., sajdah tilāwat), sajdah al-shukr is not wājib itself, etc. Thus, when all the conditions required for a valid sharʿī vow are met, it becomes necessary to fulfill it.
If one made a vow of sajdah al-shukr, fulfilling the vow is necessary. Thus, Shaykh Hibatullah Baʿlī رحمة اللہ عليه writes:
سجدة الشكر مستحبة وبه يفتى ۔۔۔ وعلى هذا لو نذر سجد ة الشكر تجب
(Al-Taḥqīq al-Bāhir Sharḥ al-Ashbāh Wal-Nazāʾir, Vol. 07, p. 370, Publ. Quetta)
Regarding sajdah al-shukr being anʿibādah maqsūdah, Aʿlā Hazrat, Imām Aḥmad Raza Khan رحمة اللہ تعالى عليه states:
مقصودہ مشروطہ جیسے نماز ونمازِ جنازہ وسجدۂ تلاوت وسجدۂ شکر کہ سب مقصود بالذات ہیں اور سب کیلئے طہارتِ کاملہ شرط، یعنی نہ حدثِ اکبر ہو نہ اصغر۔
Translation: (One type ofʿibādah is) Primarily intended which requires purity: such as salāh, funeral salāh, sajdah tilāwat, and sajdah al-shukr. These are all intended in themselves and a complete purity is required for them, i.e., one must be free from ḥads akbar and hads asghar. (Fatāwā Razawiyah, Vol. 03, p. 557, Publ. Razā Foundation, Lahore)
Listing the requirements for a sharʿī vow, Sadr al-Sharīʿah Muftī Muḥammad Amjad ʿAlī Aʿzamī رحمة اللہ تعالى عليه states:
شرعی منّت جس کے ماننے سے شرعاً اس کا پورا کرنا واجب ہوتا ہے، اس کے لیے مطلقاً چند شرطیں ہیں۔ (۱) ایسی چیز کی منّت ہو کہ اس کی جنس سے کوئی واجب ہو۔ (۲) وہ عبادت خود بالذات مقصود ہو، کسی دوسری عبادت کے لیے وسیلہ نہ ہو۔ (۳) اس چیز کی منّت نہ ہو جو شرع نے خو د اس پر واجب کی ہو، خواہ فی الحال یا آئندہ۔
Translation: A sharʿī vow whose fulfillment becomes necessary upon making it has a few conditions: (1) The vow must concern something whose category includes an act that is wājib. (2) The worship should be a primarily intended worship; not a medium for another act of worship. (3) The vow should not be concerning an act which the sharīʿah has already made wājib, whether it is wājib at that moment or can be in the future. (Bahār-E-Sharīʿat, Vol. 01, pt. 5, p. 1015, Publ. Maktaba-Tul-Madīnah, Karachi)
(2) Yes, in sajdah al-shukr as well, it is fard to place the underside (the area between the front tip of the toe and the toe pad) of at least one toe of either foot on the ground, wājib to place the underside of three toes of each foot on the ground, and sunnah to place the underside of all ten toes on the ground. This is because the sharīʿah has mentioned this ruling about sajdah in an unrestricted manner, without any exceptions. Therefore, sajdah al-shukr is also included within this ruling. Furthermore, the wisdom behind this ruling is that the purpose of sajdah is to show reverence to Allāh Almighty and to express humility and submission before Him. In contrast, performing sajdah while raising both feet off the ground resembles mockery. Just as this consideration applies in the sajdah of salāh, it is likewise present in sajdah al-shukr.
The sajdah performed while raising both feet will not even count as sajdah, as mentioned in Ḥalbī Kabīr:
لايجوز مع رفعهما لعدم تحقق السجود الذي هو وضع الجبهة علي الارض معه۔۔ ثم المراد من وضع القدم وضع أصابعها
(Ḥalbī Kabīr, p. 284-285, Publ. Quetta)
Regarding what constitutes a valid sajdah in Sharīʿah, it is stated in al-Baḥr al-Rāʾiq :
السجود فی الشریعۃ وضع بعض الوجہ مما لاسخریۃ فیہ، وخرج بقولنا "لا سخریۃ فیہ" ما إذا رفع قدمیہ فی السجود، فإنہ لایصح لإن السجود مع رفعھما بالتلاعب أشبہ منہ بالتعظیم والإجلال
(Al-Ba ḥ r al-Rāʾiq, vol. 01, p. 335, Publ. Dār al-Kitāb al-Islāmī, Beirut)
It is stated in Fatāwā Razawiyah :
سجدے میں فر ض ہے کہ کم ازکم پاؤں کی ایک انگلی کا پیٹ زمین پر لگا ہو اور ہر پاؤں کی اکثر انگلیوں کا پیٹ زمین پر جما ہونا واجب ہے۔
Translation: In sajdah, it is fard to place the underside of at least one toe on the ground, and having the underside of the majority of the toes of each foot firmly placed on the ground is wājib. (Fatāwā Razawiyah, Vol. 03, p. 253, Publ. Razā Foundation, Lahore)
It is stated in Bahār-E-Sharīʿat :
سجدہ میں دونوں پاؤں کی دسوں انگلیوں کے پیٹ زمین پر لگنا سنت ہے اور ہر پاؤں کی تین تین انگلیوں کے پیٹ زمین پر لگنا واجب اور دسوں کا قبلہ رُو ہونا سُنت۔
Translation: Pressing the underside of all ten toes of both feet on the ground during sajdah is sunnah. Pressing the underside of three toes from each foot on the ground is wājib, and directing all ten toes towards the qiblah is sunnah. (Bahār-E-Sharīʿat, Vol. 01, pt. 3, p. 530, Publ. Maktaba-Tul-Madīnah, Karachi)
وَ اللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَ اٰلِہٖ وَ سَلَّم
(Allah Almighty knows best and His Messenger صَلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہِ وَ اٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم knows best.)
Answered By: Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari
Ref No: PIN-7683
Date: 20th Jumād al-ʾŪlā 1447 AH/10th November 2025