One of the essential pillars of Salah (prayer) is performing sujood (prostration). Sujood involves placing the forehead, along with the nose, on the ground after bowing (ruku), accompanied by the feet, knees, and hands. Performing two sujoods in each unit (rak’ah) of prayer is obligatory. During sujood, it is required to place both the forehead and the nose on the ground simultaneously (al-Marghinani, al-Hidayah, 1/51; Ibn Qudamah, al-Mughni, 1/370; Mehmed Zihni, Nimat al-Islam, 254-255).
Sunnah Practice of Sujood
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would place his forehead and nose on the ground when performing sujood. He would not press his arms against his sides and would place his hands at the level of his shoulders (Tirmidhi, Salah, 86 [270]). This posture is a reflection of the sunnah and indicates the proper way of performing sujood.
Ruling on Omitting the Nose from Sujood
If a person places only the forehead on the ground and omits the nose without a valid excuse, it is considered makruh (disliked). However, the prayer is still valid in this case. Conversely, if the forehead is not placed on the ground during sujood, the prayer becomes invalid.
While both the forehead and nose should touch the ground in sujood, the absence of the nose does not invalidate the prayer unless there is an omission of the forehead. Following the practice of the Prophet ensures that sujood is performed correctly and fully adheres to the requirements of the prayer.