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Sajda

World Religion
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The act of prostration in Islamic prayer, placing forehead, nose, hands, knees, and toes on the ground in ultimate submission to God.

Detailed Definition
Sajda is the peak of prayer, where the believer is closest to God. In poetry, it symbolizes humility, surrender, and the soul’s return to dust from which it came. Poets liken the prostrating body to a bow, a seed in soil, or a lover kissing the threshold—showing that true strength lies in yielding to the Divine.
Example
Example in poetry:
A prostration poem: “Sajda is not bowing—it’s the ego’s surrender to the Infinite”; In a modern verse, “In sajda, my forehead touches earth—and I remember I’m dust, and divine”; A minimalist lyric: “Sajda: peak of prayer”; A refugee’s reflection: “On concrete, in snow—I make sajda—and feel Mecca’s warmth.”
Additional Notes
Sajda (or Sujud) is the act of prostration during the Islamic prayer (Salat), where the worshipper places their forehead, nose, hands, knees, and toes on the ground. This physical position is the ultimate symbol of submission, humility, and devotion to God. A prayer cycle (rak'ah) includes two prostrations. The state of being in prostration is considered a moment of close communion between the servant and God.
Also Known As
Sajdah Prostration
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