Sajda al-Sahw Was Performed by Mistake, Then It Turned Out It Was Not Wajib

Question

In the prayer there occurred a mistake of the kind that does not make sajda al-sahw wajib. If, out of ignorance, taking it to be a sahw, sajda al-sahw was performed, was the prayer valid or not? A certain respected religious scholar said that the prayer was not valid and should be repeated, so it was repeated (i'ada). If, according to what the said person says, the prayer was not valid and this became known after several days, what should be done then?

Answer

The prayer was valid; there was no need to repeat it, and now there is no need for any remedy: [ar]ولو ظن الإمام السهو فسجد له فتابعه فبان أن لا سهو فالأشبه الفساد لاقتدائه في موضع الانفراد[/ar] “If the imam thought he had made a sahw and prostrated for it, and [the follower] followed him, and then it became clear that there was no sahw, then the more apt view (al-ashbah)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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