Salaam friends,
We’re starting off by asking you: what good has reached you this week?
Note: we’re not adding ‘if’. Because there’s absolutely something wonderful - small or big- that has blessed your week in sha Allah!
A little compliment that’s made your day; the arrival of a parcel you’ve been eagerly anticipating; a catch-up with a loved one; a week of full Fajrs [yay!]; an approved work proposal; walks in nature; assurance for a health-scare; a train that arrives on time - see: something for someone and everyone!
Pssst: and if you are having a really difficult week, may you be blessed beyond belief. Aameen
In sha Allah something good has visited you this week - even if it wears the simple robes of a small and silent mercy.
And us being us - you know: human and fickle[!] we, very quickly, let joy slip through our fingers when it’s confined to the head.
So today we’re talking about giving that joy a body and a place to live by lowering the forehead in gratitude: Sujood ash-Shukar.
Sujood ash-Shukr turns a passing joy - whether it’s an on-time train; a career win; a softened diagnosis - into worship you can feel in your bones.
Quite simply, we’re putting our forehead onto the ground and thanking the One who sent that joy. And at Minara, we’re calling it the Emergency Gratitude Button - no confetti 🎊; no ceremony 🎑.
Just head to ground and heart to Lord 🩵.
Sujood ash-Shukr is a single prostration made when a blessing appears or a burden lifts and it works because it meets joy in motion. You catch the moment before it rushes past and you teach your soul to recognise generosity when it arrives rather than only remembering it later [or even completely forgetting!] in a neatly curated list you may never look at again.
There are also instances reported in the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ’s blessed companions [may Allah be pleased with them] who would fall to the ground in prostration upon a calamity being removed or the presence of a big blessing.
How to press the emergency gratitude button
When goodness lands, or a burden lifts, face the qiblah, say ‘Allahu Akbar’ [no need to raise hands], and lower yourself into sujood.
Recite Subhana Rabbiyal-aʿla or/and any other dhikr expressing your gratitude to Allah. Even a simple alhamdulillah here will suffice!
A Minara favourite: add a personal expression of gratitude [be that may in your own language].
Sciency Perks of Prostration:
How we move the body can shape what we feel in the heart. Islam’s said it for years. Science is saying it now.
Sujood, in particular, creates the perfect conditions for gratitude to take root and grow. And here’s how:
Prostration calms the body and clears mental noise. During prayer, especially in sujood, the brain shifts into a more relaxed and focused state. Studies show an increase in alpha brain waves, which are linked to calm awareness, and a decrease in physical stress markers as the body activates its parasympathetic nervous system (the one responsible for rest and recovery). When you're less tense and distracted, it's easier to actually feel gratitude.
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Gratitude activates brain regions tied to meaning, reward, and emotional balance. Neuroscientists have found that when people consciously generate feelings of gratitude, areas like the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex light up. These parts of the brain help us process value, regulate emotion, and make sense of our experiences. The more we practise noticing and naming blessings, the more responsive these brain circuits become.
💡💡Together, sujood and gratitude create a positive feedback loop. The physical act of sujood helps settle the nervous system. A settled nervous system makes it easier to access sincere gratitude. And gratitude, in turn, boosts emotional resilience and makes you more likely to approach worship with presence and steadiness next time. It’s a reinforcing cycle between body, emotion, and spirit - what researchers call an ‘upward spiral’.
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Some early studies on sajdah specifically [just the act of prostration] have shown changes in prefrontal brain activity within seconds of going into that position. That suggests the posture alone - head to ground, heart above mind - may help quiet mental clutter and increase internal clarity.
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And in the language of short and sweet?
Well sujood settles your body. A settled body creates space for real gratitude. Gratitude strengthens the same brain circuits that make prayer feel meaningful. Together, they help you return to Allah with more presence, again and again.
Jurists’ Notes
Sujood ash-Shukr is mustahab and not compulsory.
There is only one sajdah.
It should not be performed during sunrise, zawwal [islamic mid-day] and at sunset.
It is compulsory to face the Qiblah.
It is makrooh to perform Sujood ash-Shukr after any of the five Salah to avoid creating doubts in the minds of people that such a Sajdah is a part of Salah.
According to the Hanafi School of Thought, wudhu is a condition that must be met to perform this sajdah while according to the Shaf’i’ School of Thought, wudhu has not been deemed a condition for its validity.
But the purpose is one: to humbly express your thanks to Allah.
Du’a to Carry You this Week
اللَّهُمَّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ
Allahumma awziʿni an ashkura niʿmataka allati anʿamta ʿalayya.
O Allah, enable me to be grateful for the favour You have bestowed upon me
Ayah of the Week
“If you are grateful, I will surely Increase you.”
[Qur’an 14:7]
How can we apply this to every-day life?
🕰️ First-Thing Thanks:
As soon as you awaken, sit up, place your feet on the floor and say Alhamdulillah while naming one physical blessing you can feel in the moment [quiet in the room, warmth of the carpet, crispness of the air] and one opportunity on your schedule [a job to show up for, a class to learn from, a walk to clear the mind]. Don’t touch your phone without doing this! This is a great way of developing that opportunity mindset: a challenge or a chore is actually an opportunity for growth!
💬 Ten Second Text
Text or voice-note a person a specific, short thanks: name the action they did for you, make a small du’a for them and hit send! Gratitude multiplies when you pass it through a person who Allah made a source of ease for you.
🍰 Spend a Slice
[Sorry if you're thinking about cake now 🤭.] Whatever Allah gives you, use a small portion in His way within 24 hours so your gratitude doesn’t stall. If money comes in, give a little in Sadaqah; if time opens up, make extra effort on your salah or pray your nafl salah that day. If you learn something new, pass it on. What we spend for the Sake of Allah will circulate back ten-fold. It’s a win-win for you in sha Allah!
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Love and du’as,
The Minara Team
