Q: I have seen a few brothers who follow the Shaafi'i madh-hab, pause before standing for qiyaam after their two sajdahs in the first and third raka'aat. What is this practice called and what is the correct way to do it? Can I do this in any salaah? I am Shaafi'i as well.
A: It is recorded in the Shaafi'ee books of Fiqh that it is Sunnah to sit after the two Sajdahs, before standing for the next Rakaat. (Al Muqaddamatul Hadhramiyyah V1 P71) This sitting is called 'Jalsatul Istiraaha'. This will be done before standing for the first and third Rakaats. It is a sitting for a very short while. It can be done in all Salaah. The Hadeeth relating to this sitting is recorded in Bukhaari V1 P283.
Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai
