The Prophet (ﷺ) led us in the `Asr or the Zuhr prayer and finished it with Taslim. Dhul-Yadain said to him, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Has the prayer been reduced?" The Prophet (ﷺ) asked his companions in the affirmative. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) I offered two more rak`at and then performed two prostrations (of Sahu). Sa`d said, "I saw that 'Urwa bin Az-Zubair had offered two rak`at in the Maghrib prayer and finished it with Taslim. He then talked (and when he was informed about it) he completed the rest of his prayer and performed two prostrations, and said, 'The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed like this.' "
Forgetfulness in Prayer - Sahih al-Bukhari 1227
The Prophet (ﷺ) led us in the `Asr or the Zuhr prayer and finished it with Taslim. Dhul-Yadain said to him, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Has the prayer been reduced?" The Prophet (ﷺ) asked his companions in the affirmative. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) I offered two more rak`at and then performed two prostrations (of Sahu). Sa`d said, "I saw that 'Urwa bin Az-Zubair had offered two rak`at in the Maghrib prayer and finished it with Taslim. He then talked (and when he was informed about it) he completed the rest of his prayer and performed two prostrations, and said, 'The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed like this.' "
Scholarly Commentary
This hadith establishes the legal principle of Sahu (prostration of forgetfulness) in Islamic jurisprudence. When the Prophet (ﷺ) mistakenly concluded the prayer after only two rak'at instead of four, he demonstrated the proper remedy: complete the missed rak'at and perform two prostrations before the final Taslim.
Dhul-Yadain's courageous questioning shows the permissibility of correcting even the Imam when an error occurs in prayer. The Prophet's response exemplifies humility and adherence to divine law, acknowledging his human fallibility while establishing a lasting precedent for the Ummah.
The incident with 'Urwa bin Az-Zubair confirms the continuity of this practice among the Companions, demonstrating that the Sunnah was preserved and implemented by the generation who learned directly from the Messenger (ﷺ).
Legal Rulings Derived
When an Imam omits a rak'ah in prayer, he must complete it and perform two prostrations of forgetfulness before concluding with Taslim.
It is obligatory upon congregation members to alert the Imam if he makes an error in prayer, done respectfully as Dhul-Yadain demonstrated.
The prostration of forgetfulness compensates for errors made during prayer due to oversight or distraction, maintaining the prayer's validity.