The majority of the scholars say that it is preferred to make prostration of thankfulness (sajdat ush shukr) when one receives a bounty or is rescued from some trial. Abu Bakr reports that, when the Prophet, sallallahu alehi wasallam, received something which pleased him or some glad tidings, he would make the sajdah in thanks to Allah.

Al-Baihaqi records that when ‘Ali wrote to the Messenger of Allah, informing him that Hamadhan (a tribe) had embraced Islam, the Prophet prostrated, and when he raised his head, he said: “Peace be upon Hamadhan, peace be upon Hamadhan.”

Abdurrahman ibn ‘Auf relates that the Messenger of Allah went out once and he followed him until he entered a grove of palm trees and prostrated. His prostration was so long that ‘Abdurrahman feared that Allah had taken his soul, ‘Abdurrahman came to look at him and he raised his head and said:  “What is wrong, Abdrrahman?” Abdrrahman mentioned what had happened, and he said: “Gabriel alaihis-salam came to me and said: ‘shall I not give you glad tidings? Allah says to you, whoever prays upon you, I pray upon him. Whoever salutes you, I salute him. ‘Therefore, I prostrated to Allah in thanks.” (Ahmad and Al-Hakim)

Al-Bukhari records that Ka’b ibn Malik made a sajdah (prostration) when he received the news that Allah had accepted his repentance. Ahmad records that ‘Ali performed the sajdah when he heard the news that Dhu-Thudayyah of the Khawarij was killed. Also, Sa’id ibn Mansur recorded that Abu Bakr made sajdah in thankfulness when Musailimah (an imposter) was killed.

The one prostration “sajdah” of thankfulness is bound by the same requirements as the prostration in prayer including ablution and purity of the clothes and place. It is preceded by takbeer and followed by either one or two tasleems, while some scholars disagree, as it is not a prayer. However, one is not to make the prostration of thankfulness during a prayer as it is not part of the prayer.