🧎‍♂️ Section 5: The 15 Sujud al-Tilāwah Verses in the Qur’an  Context, Meaning, and Tafsīr

There are 15 verses in the Qur’an where scholars agree that Sujūd al-Tilāwah (prostration of recitation) is recommended. Each verse is a moment of divine instruction, awe, or command, prompting the believer to physically respond in humility. Below, we explore each verse, its Arabic text, English meaning, and highlights from tafsīr (Qur’anic exegesis) by scholars such as Ibn Kathīr, Al-Qurtubī, and Imam Al-Shawkānī.

🔹 1. Surah Al-A‘rāf (7:206)

 إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لَا يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ عَنۡ عِبَادَتِهِۦ وَيُسَبِّحُونَهُۥ وَلَهُۥ يَسۡجُدُونَ

"Indeed, those who are near your Lord are not prevented by arrogance from His worship, and they glorify Him and to Him they prostrate." (Qur’an 7:206).

🔎 Tafsīr Insight:

Ibn Kathīr says this verse refers to angels and righteous servants of Allah who are never too proud to prostrate. The verse invites humans to follow this cosmic act of obedience.

🔹 2. Surah Ar-Ra‘d (13:15)

 وَلِلَّهِ يَسۡجُدُ مَن فِي ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ طَوۡعٗا وَكَرۡهٗا وَظِلَٰلُهُم بِٱلۡغُدُوِّ وَٱلۡأٓصَالِ

"To Allah prostrates whoever is within the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and their shadows [as well], in the mornings and the afternoons." (Qur’an 13:15)

🔎 Tafsīr Insight:

This verse shows that all creation even shadows submit to Allah. Sujūd al-Tilāwah here reflects a universal alignment with divine order.

🔹 3. Surah An-Naḥl (16:26)

 ...فَأَتَى ٱللَّهُ بُنۢيَٰنَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡقَوَاعِدِ فَخَرَّ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلسَّقۡفُ مِن فَوۡقِهِمۡ وَأَتَىٰهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَ

"...So Allah came upon their buildings from the foundations, and the roof fell upon them from above them, and the punishment came to them from where they did not perceive." (Qur’an 16:26)

🔎 Tafsīr Insight:

Although the actual sajdah is at the end of the verse’s context (some Qur’an mushafs mark it earlier), the theme reflects the collapse of arrogance. The prostration here is an act of submission, rejecting pride.

🔹 4. Surah Al-Isrā’ (17:109)

 وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلۡأَذۡقَانِ يَبۡكُونَ وَيَزِيدُهُمۡ خُشُوعٗا

"And they fall upon their faces weeping, and the Qur'an increases them in humble submission." (Qur’an 17:109)

🔎 Tafsīr Insight:

This verse refers to people of the Book who recognize the truth of the Qur’an. Their reaction tears and sujūd models what the believer should do in awe of Allah’s word.

🔹 5. Surah Maryam (19:58)

 إِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ خَرُّواْ سُجَّدٗا وَبُكِّيّٗا

"When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell in prostration and weeping." (Qur’an 19:58)

🔎 Tafsīr Insight:

A classic sajdah verse. The righteous predecessors would stop and perform sujūd here. According to Al-Qurtubī, this prostration reflects pure love and fear of Allah.

🔹 6. Surah Al-Ḥajj (22:18)

 أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَسۡجُدُ لَهُۥ مَن فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَاتِ وَمَن فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ

"Do you not see that to Allah prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth..." (Qur’an 22:18)

🔎 Tafsīr Insight:

The imagery includes beasts, stars, mountains, and even trees in sujūd. A powerful reminder that refusing to prostrate is going against the very rhythm of the universe.

🔹 7. Surah Al-Ḥajj (22:77)

 يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱرۡكَعُواْ وَٱسۡجُدُواْ وَٱعۡبُدُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ وَٱفۡعَلُواْ ٱلۡخَيۡرَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ

“O you who believe, bow and prostrate and worship your Lord and do good  so that you may succeed.” (Qur’an 22:77)

🔎 Tafsīr Insight:

This verse is a direct command from Allah to establish prayer and obedience through physical worship. Imam al-Shawkānī notes that it combines ritual, ethics, and action culminating in sujūd.

🔹 8. Surah Al-Furqān (25:60)

 وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱسۡجُدُواْ لِلرَّحۡمَٰنِ قَالُواْ وَمَا ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ أَنَسۡجُدُ لِمَا تَأۡمُرُنَا وَزَادَهُمۡ نُفُورٗا

“And when it is said to them, ‘Prostrate to the Most Merciful,’ they say, ‘And what is the Most Merciful? Should we prostrate to what you command us?’ And it increases them in aversion.” (Qur’an 25:60)

🔎 Tafsīr Insight:

Ibn Kathīr emphasizes this verse reveals the arrogance of disbelievers. In contrast, believers respond by bowing and submitting in Sujud al-Tilāwah when this is recited.

🔹 9. Surah An-Naml (27:26)

 ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَرۡشِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ

“Allah – there is no deity except Him, Lord of the Great Throne.” (Qur’an 27:26)

🔎 Tafsīr Insight:

Though not all schools agree this verse has sajdah, Hanafis and others include it. The affirmation of tawḥīd (Oneness of Allah) inspires the believer to fall in sujūd, affirming His greatness.

🔹 10. Surah As-Sajdah (32:15)

 إِنَّمَا يُؤۡمِنُ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهَا خَرُّواْ سُجَّدٗا وَسَبَّحُواْ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَهُمۡ لَا يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ

“Only those believe in Our verses who, when they are reminded by them, fall in prostration and glorify the praises of their Lord, and they are not arrogant.” (Qur’an 32:15)

🔎 Tafsīr Insight:

Al-Qurtubī says this verse describes the ideal believers: those who show instant humility upon hearing Allah’s verses, making it a strong proof for Sujud al-Tilāwah.

🔹 11. Surah Ṣād (38:24)

 ...وَظَنَّ دَاوُۥدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّٰهُ فَٱسۡتَغۡفَرَ رَبَّهُۥ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعٗا وَأَنَابَ

“…And David became certain that We had tested him, so he asked forgiveness of his Lord and fell down bowing in prostration and turned in repentance.” (Qur’an 38:24)

🔎 Tafsīr Insight:

This verse reflects Tawbah (repentance) through prostration. All schools of thought agree Sujud al-Tilāwah is recommended here. Some scholars consider this sajdah wājib (obligatory).

🔹 12. Surah Fuṣṣilat (41:38)

 فَإِنِ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ فَٱلَّذِينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ يُسَبِّحُونَ لَهُۥ بِٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَهُمۡ لَا يَسۡـَٔمُونَ

“But if they are arrogant – those who are near your Lord glorify Him by night and day, and they do not become weary.” (Qur’an 41:38)

🔎 Tafsīr Insight:

Al-Shawkānī notes this contrasts the pride of disbelievers with the tireless sujūd of the angels. Performing sajdah here reaffirms our humility before Allah.

🔹 13. Surah An-Najm (53:62)

 فَٱسۡجُدُواْ لِلَّهِ وَٱعۡبُدُواْ

“So prostrate to Allah and worship [Him].” (Qur’an 53:62)

🔎 Tafsīr Insight:

This verse is a direct command to make sujūd. The Prophet ﷺ made sajdah immediately upon reciting it. The entire congregation of companions would follow him, establishing a strong sunnah.

🔹 14. Surah Inshiqāq (84:21)

 وَإِذَا قُرِئَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ لَا يَسۡجُدُونَ

“And when the Qur’an is recited to them, they do not prostrate?” (Qur’an 84:21)

🔎 Tafsīr Insight:

This verse criticizes those who refuse sujūd upon hearing the Qur’an. Scholars say doing Sujud al-Tilāwah here is a sign of obedience to divine recitation.

🔹 15. Surah Al-‘Alaq (96:19)

 كَلَّا لَا تُطِعۡهُ وَٱسۡجُدۡ وَٱقۡتَرِب۩

“No! Do not obey him. But prostrate and draw near [to Allah].” (Qur’an 96:19)

🔎 Tafsīr Insight:

The last verse in the Qur’an marked with a sajdah. Imam Al-Nawawī and others agree this verse orders sujūd directly, with the promise that it brings nearness to Allah (iqtirāb).

🕌 Summary Table of the 15 Sujūd al-Tilāwah Verses:

Surah Name Verse Number Reason for Sujud

Al-A‘rāf 7:206 Angels prostrate

Ar-Ra‘d 13:15 All creatures submit

An-Naḥl 16:26 Destruction of arrogance

Al-Isrā’ 17:109 Weeping from truth

Maryam 19:58 Submission and tears

Al-Ḥajj 22:18 Cosmic sujūd

Al-Ḥajj 22:77 Command to prostrate

Al-Furqān 25:60 Arrogance toward Ar-Raḥmān

An-Naml 27:26 Affirmation of Tawḥīd

As-Sajdah 32:15 Believers' humility

Ṣād 38:24 Dawūd’s repentance

Fuṣṣilat 41:38 Angels’ endless worship

An-Najm 53:62 Command to sujūd

Inshiqāq 84:21 Criticism of pride

Al-‘Alaq 96:19 Order to prostrate and draw near