It may have happened to you many times that you develop a boil or wound on your forehead, making it difficult or even impossible to perform prostration (sujood). To learn about the religious ruling on prostrating with a wound, follow Saed News.
Sajdah is an act of worship involving placing the forehead on the ground as a sign of humility before God. In Islamic teachings, it is considered one of the most exalted forms of worship. Muslims are obligated to perform two prostrations in each unit (rak‘ah) of their daily prayers.
In Shi’a jurisprudence, prostration during prayer is only valid when done on the earth or what naturally grows from it (excluding items that can be eaten or worn). However, Sunni scholars generally permit prostration on carpets and similar surfaces. All Muslims agree that performing sajdah for anyone other than God is forbidden.
But it may often happen that you have a boil or wound on your forehead, making it difficult or even impossible to prostrate properly. In such cases, if there is any healthy part of the forehead available, the person should prostrate using that part.
All seven parts of the body (forehead, both palms, both knees, and both big toes) must touch the ground.
The sajdah phrase (e.g., Subhana Rabbiyal A‘la) must be recited calmly.
One must raise their head from the first sajdah and sit with composure; intentionally skipping this invalidates the prayer.
Intentionally adding or omitting a sajdah invalidates the prayer. However, if one forgets a sajdah and remembers before the next ruku‘, they must sit and perform the forgotten sajdah. After the prayer, two prostrations of forgetfulness (sajdat al-sahw) are required. If remembered after the ruku‘, the prayer continues, and afterward both the missed sajdah and two sajdat al-sahw must be performed.
If there's a boil or wound on the forehead and it cannot be placed on the ground without pressure, then one must use another unaffected part of the forehead for prostration if possible. If not, one may:
Dig a slight hole in the ground so the boil fits into it and the healthy part touches the ground.
Use a turbah (mohr) on either side of the wound to elevate it around the boil so that the healthy area makes contact. The turbah should not be taller than four closed fingers.
Ayatollah Safi Golpayegani:
If the boil covers the entire forehead, one should prostrate on one of the forehead’s sides, with preference (as a precaution) for the right side.
If that’s not possible, one should use the chin, and if that’s also not feasible, any part of the face. If no part of the face is usable, then the front of the head.
Ayatollah Sistani:
If the entire forehead is affected, one must—based on obligatory precaution—place the sides or at least one side of the remaining forehead on the ground.
If this isn’t possible, one should use another part of the face (preferably the chin).
If no part of the face can be used, they should gesture with the head.
Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi:
If a boil prevents placing the forehead on the mohr, the mohr can be placed on either side and elevated enough for the unaffected area to touch, provided it’s not more than four closed fingers high.
If the entire forehead is affected, use one side of the outer forehead. If that's not possible, use the chin. If that’s also not possible, use any part of the face. If even that is not doable, then bend forward as much as possible.
Ayatollah Bahjat:
If the entire forehead is affected, prostrate on one side of the forehead, preferably the right.
If that’s not possible, use the chin; if that too is not feasible, gesture with the head.
If even that isn’t possible, complete the sajdah by blinking the eyes.
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