Prostration of thanksgiving after every mandatory prayer was the practice ( Sunnat e Muwakkida) of the Prophet ( a.s.).

Imam Jafar e Sadiq (a.s.) has hinted at it’s being mandatory and said that when a person makes a prostration of thanksgiving, Allah addresses the angels and tells them that a sincere creature is doing the Sajda e Shukr.

He asks the angels to suggest what Reward must be given to the person. The angels would suggest that Allah keep His Blessings with the person for his act.

Allah will again ask them what else should be the Reward for the person? The angels say,’ O Sustainer! Give him a place in the Heaven!’ Allah will again ask the angels,’ What else?’ The angels reply, ‘ O Allah! Give a place in the Heaven for the person’s parents and children, as well!’ Allah will again ask the angels to suggest some more Reward for the person.

The angels would reply,’ We have made suggestions to the best of our knowledge! We have nothing else to suggest! You know everything!’ Then Allah would say,’ The person has thanked Me in all sincerity and humility, therefore, in return, I too shall thank him!’

Imam Reza (a.s.) has said that while making the prostration of thanksgiving, a person should say Shukran lillah atleast three times.

Also he should say a hundred times Afwan or Shukran. Either in prostration he should first say a hundred times Afwan or Al-afu Al-afu.

Then he should keep the right cheek at the place of prostration and make any supplication as, for example, Ya Allaho, Ya Rabbaho, Ya Syedaho.

Similarly he should keep his left cheek at the place of prostration and say the same words.

In the end he should place his forehead at the same spot and repeat Shukran Shukran ya Shukran Allah a hundred times.

Remember that this prostration is not a part of the mandatory prayer.

This is only a sunnat. While doing this, the person should place his chest and the tummy on the ground, spread his arms and keep his kness flat on the ground.

He should pray for the welfare of himself and all the momineen with tearful eyes. Allah likes his creatures imploring Him for help in this manner.

Our Imams (a.s.) used to make long prostrations of thanksgiving. Specially Imam Moosa Kazim (a.s.) used to do the sajda after completing his fajr prayer which stretched well into the sun up.

When he was asked about his Sajda e Shukr, the Imam (a.s.) said, one should recite the following supplication while doing the Sajda:

Allahumma inni ashaduka wa ashadu malaekateka wa ambiyaeka wa rusuleka wa jamieh qalkeka annaka allaho rabbi wal islamo deeni wa Muhammadan nabiee wa Aliyan wal Hassane wal Hussaine wa Ali ibnal Hussaine

wa Mohammed ibne aliyyin wa Jafar ibne Mohammedin wa Moosa ibne Jafar wa Ali ibne Moosa wa Mohammed ibne Aliyyin wa Ali ibne Mohammedin

wal Hassan ibne Aliyyin wal Hujjata ibnal Hassane ayyimmati behim atwallah wa min aadayehim atabbara