How many sajdah in Quran, and how to perform one
There are 15 places of prostration (sajdah) marked in the Madinah mushaf. The four schools of Islamic law count 11 or 14 of them as places where sujud at-tilawah applies. Here is every place, which juz (para) it is in, and how to perform the prostration.
Last updated: 1 October 2026
The places of sajdah
In the mushaf, each place is marked with a sign in the margin or a small line over a word, often with the word سجدة.
| # | Surah | Verse | Juz (para) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7. Al-A'raf | 7:206 | 9 |
| 2 | 13. Ar-Ra'd | 13:15 | 13 |
| 3 | 16. An-Nahl | 16:50 | 14 |
| 4 | 17. Al-Isra | 17:109 | 15 |
| 5 | 19. Maryam | 19:58 | 16 |
| 6 | 22. Al-Hajj | 22:18 | 17 |
| 7 | 22. Al-Hajj | 22:77 | 17 |
| 8 | 25. Al-Furqan | 25:60 | 19 |
| 9 | 27. An-Naml | 27:26 | 19 |
| 10 | 32. As-Sajdah | 32:15 | 21 |
| 11 | 38. Sad | 38:24 | 23 |
| 12 | 41. Fussilat | 41:38 | 24 |
| 13 | 53. An-Najm | 53:62 | 27 |
| 14 | 84. Al-Inshiqaq | 84:21 | 30 |
| 15 | 96. Al-'Alaq | 96:19 | 30 |
Why the number differs
- Hanafi (14): count Sad 38:24 as a sajdah of recitation, but not the second sajdah in Al-Hajj (22:77).
- Shafi‘i and Hanbali (14): count both places in Al-Hajj; Sad 38:24 is treated as a prostration of thanks rather than of recitation.
- Maliki (11): do not count the second sajdah in Al-Hajj or the three in the shorter surahs at the end of the Quran (An-Najm, Al-Inshiqaq and Al-‘Alaq).
The 15 places in the Madinah mushaf include every place any of the schools recognise. Surah As-Sajdah (32), "the Prostration", takes its name from verse 15.
How to perform sujud at-tilawah
- Be in a state of wudu and facing the qiblah, as for prayer (see how to perform wudu).
- Say Allahu akbar and go straight down into one prostration.
- In sujud, say Subhana rabbiyal a‘la. A supplication reported from the Prophet ﷺ for this prostration is: Sajada wajhi lilladhi khalaqahu, wa shaqqa sam‘ahu wa basarahu, bi hawlihi wa quwwatihi ("My face prostrates to the One who created it and brought forth its hearing and sight by His might and power"), narrated by Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi.
- Rise saying Allahu akbar. There is no tashahhud or salam according to most scholars.
If you reach a sajdah verse during prayer, you prostrate as part of the prayer and then stand to continue reciting. Details differ slightly between schools; see our disclaimer and follow your local scholars. To recognise the sajdah markings while reading, learn the mushaf symbols with a teacher in our tajweed course, or read about stop signs in the Quran.
Frequently asked questions
How many sajdah are in the Quran?
The Madinah mushaf marks 15 places. The Hanafi, Shafi‘i and Hanbali schools each count 14 (they differ over the second sajdah of Surah Al-Hajj and the one in Surah Sad), and the Maliki school counts 11.
What does sajdah mean?
Sajdah means prostration: placing the forehead on the ground in humility before Allah. Sujud at-tilawah is the prostration of recitation, made when reading or hearing one of these verses.
Is sajdah at-tilawah compulsory?
The Hanafi school holds it is wajib (necessary); the other schools hold it is a strongly recommended sunnah. Follow the school you or your family follow.
Can I do sajdah at-tilawah without wudu?
Most scholars say you need wudu, as for prayer. If you cannot prostrate at the time, many scholars say you may do it later when you are able.
Read the mushaf with a teacher
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