What is the wisdom of performing the sajdah-e-tilawat ?

Question:

What is the wisdom of performing the sajdah e tilawat? Answer: ﺑﺴﻢ اﷲ اﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ اﻟﺮﺣﯿﻢ In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Sajdah e tilawat is such an action which the Prophet ﷺ and his companions (ﻋﻨﻬﻢ اﷲ رﺿﻲ) performed. As believers, we must understand that whatever Allah ﺗﻌﺎﻟﻰ or His messenger ﷺ command us to do, we must comply irrespective of whether we understand the wisdom or not; this is the demand of faith and being a slave of Allah ﺗﻌﺎﻟﻰ. Nevertheless, one wisdom of performing sajdah e tilawat is that a person distinguishes himself from those who disbelieve in Allah ﺗﻌﺎﻟﻰ and do not prostrate to Him. It is established from the Quran that refusal to prostrate, after the Quran has been recited, is blameworthy and the way of the nonbelievers. Allah ﺗﻌﺎﻟﻰ says, “When the Quran is recited unto them, they do not prostrate.” (Surah Al-Inshiqaq: v. 21) Thus, prostration to Allah ﺗﻌﺎﻟﻰ, after hearing the Quran (i.e. ayats of sajdah), is a salient feature of the believers, therefore we must perform it. (Qamoosul Fiqh: v. 4, p. 129 [Zamzam]) In addition, by prostrating after reciting or hearing an ayat of sajdah, one opposes Shaytan who refused to prostrate to Adam اﻟﺴﻼم ﻋﻠﯿﻪ. It is narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “When the son of Adam recites an ayat of sajdah then prostrates, Shaytan withdraws weeping, saying, ‘Oh my grief and destruction! The son of Adam was commanded to prostrate, and he prostrated, thus for him is Paradise. However, I was commanded to prostrate but I refused, consequently for me is the Fire.’” (Mishkat: 895; Muslim: 244)

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Mohammad Ahsan Osmani Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah Darul Ifta Birmingham