The Book of Forgetfulness (In Prayer)

Isma‘il ibn Mas‘ud reported to us; he said: Yahya ibn Sa‘id reported to us; he said: Isma‘il ibn Abi Khalid reported to us; he said: al-Harith ibn Shubayl narrated to me, from Abu ‘Amr al-Shaybani, from Zayd ibn Arqam, who said: During the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), a man would speak to his companion during prayer about something he needed, until this verse was revealed: “Guard the prayers, and the middle prayer, and stand before Allah devoutly.” Then we were commanded to remain silent.

Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Ammar reported to us; he said: Ibn Abi Ghaniyyah—whose name was Yahya ibn ‘Abd al-Malik—and al-Qasim ibn Yazid al-Jarmi reported to us, from Sufyan, from al-Zubayr ibn ‘Adi, from Kulthum, from ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud. This is al-Qasim’s version. He said: I used to come to the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was praying and greet him, and he would return my greeting. Then I came to him and greeted him while he was praying, but he did not return my greeting. When he had said the taslim, he gestured to the people and said: “Allah, the Mighty and Majestic—I mean, He has established in prayer that you are not to speak except in remembrance of Allah and what is proper for you, and that you stand before Allah devoutly.”

Al-Husayn ibn Hurayth reported to us; he said: Sufyan reported to us, from ‘Asim, from Abu Wa’il, from Ibn Mas‘ud, who said: We used to greet the Prophet (ﷺ) with salam, and he would return our greeting, until we came back from the land of Abyssinia. I greeted him, but he did not return my greeting. I was overcome with concern, so I sat down. When he had finished praying, he said: “Allah brings about whatever He wills of His command, and among what He has brought about is that no one is to speak during prayer.”

Qutaybah ibn Sa‘id reported to us, from Malik, from Ibn Shihab, from ‘Abd al-Rahman al-A‘raj, from ‘Abd Allah ibn Buhaynah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led us in prayer for two rak‘ahs, then stood up without sitting, and the people stood with him. When he had completed his prayer and we were waiting for him to say the taslim, he said the takbir and prostrated twice while seated, before the taslim. Then he said the taslim.

Qutaybah reported to us; he said: al-Layth reported to us, from Yahya ibn Sa‘id, from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Hurmuz, from ‘Abd Allah ibn Buhaynah, from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): He stood during the prayer at a point when he should have sat, so he prostrated twice while seated before the taslim.

Humayd ibn Mas‘adah reported to us; he said: Yazid—namely, Ibn Zuray‘—reported to us; he said: Ibn ‘Awn reported to us, from Muhammad ibn Sirin. He said: Abu Hurayrah said: The Prophet (ﷺ) led us in one of the two ‘isha-time prayers. Abu Hurayrah said: But I have forgotten which one. He said: He led us in two rak‘ahs, then said the taslim and went to a piece of wood lying across the mosque. He placed his hand on it as if angry. The people who were quick to leave rushed out through the mosque doors, saying, “The prayer has been shortened.” Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) were among the people, but they were too awed to speak to him. Also among them was a man with long hands, who was known as Dhul-Yadayn. He said: “O Messenger of Allah, did you forget, or has the prayer been shortened?” He said: “I did not forget, and the prayer has not been shortened.” He said: “Is it as Dhul-Yadayn says?” They said: “Yes.” So he came and completed what he had left out, then said the taslim. Then he said the takbir and prostrated, as long as his usual prostration or longer. Then he raised his head and said the takbir; then he prostrated, as long as his usual prostration or longer. Then he raised his head and said the takbir.

Muhammad ibn Salamah reported to us; he said: Ibn al-Qasim reported to us, from Malik, who said: Ayyub narrated to me, from Muhammad ibn Sirin, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) finished after two rak‘ahs. Dhul-Yadayn said to him: “Has the prayer been shortened, or did you forget, O Messenger of Allah?” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Is Dhul-Yadayn telling the truth?” The people said: “Yes.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood and prayed two rak‘ahs, then said the taslim. Then he said the takbir and prostrated, as long as his usual prostration or longer. Then he raised his head, then prostrated, as long as his usual prostration or longer, then raised his head.

Qutaybah reported to us, from Malik, from Dawud ibn al-Husayn, from Abu Sufyan, the freedman of Ibn Abi Ahmad, who said: I heard Abu Hurayrah say: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led us in the ‘Asr prayer and said the taslim after two rak‘ahs. Dhul-Yadayn stood and said: “Has the prayer been shortened, O Messenger of Allah, or did you forget?” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Neither of those happened.” He said: “One of them did happen, O Messenger of Allah.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) turned to the people and said: “Is Dhul-Yadayn telling the truth?” They said: “Yes.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) completed what remained of the prayer, then prostrated twice while seated, after the taslim.

Sulayman ibn ‘Ubayd Allah reported to us; he said: Bahz ibn Asad reported to us; he said: Shu‘bah reported to us, from Sa‘d ibn Ibrahim, who heard Abu Salamah narrate from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed the Zuhr prayer for two rak‘ahs, then said the taslim. They said: “Has the prayer been shortened?” He stood and prayed two rak‘ahs, then said the taslim, then prostrated twice.

‘Isa ibn Hammad reported to us; he said: al-Layth reported to us, from Yazid ibn Abi Habib, from ‘Imran ibn Abi Anas, from Abu Salamah, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed one day and said the taslim after two rak‘ahs, then left. Dhul-Shimalayn caught up with him and said: “O Messenger of Allah, has the prayer been shortened, or did you forget?” He said: “The prayer has not been shortened, and I did not forget.” He said: “Indeed, by the One who sent you with the truth.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Is Dhul-Yadayn telling the truth?” They said: “Yes.” So he led the people in praying two rak‘ahs.

Harun ibn Musa al-Farawi reported to us; he said: Abu Damrah reported to me, from Yunus, from Ibn Shihab, who said: Abu Salamah informed me, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forgot and said the taslim after two prostrations. Dhul-Shimalayn said to him: “Has the prayer been shortened, or did you forget, O Messenger of Allah?” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Is Dhul-Yadayn telling the truth?” They said: “Yes.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood and completed the prayer.

Muhammad ibn Rafi‘ reported to us; he said: ‘Abd al-Razzaq reported to us; he said: Ma‘mar informed us, from al-Zuhri, from Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman and Abu Bakr ibn Sulayman ibn Abi Hathmah, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed Zuhr or ‘Asr, said the taslim after two rak‘ahs, and left. Dhul-Shimalayn ibn ‘Amr said to him: “Has the prayer been shortened, or did you forget?” The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “What is Dhul-Yadayn saying?” They said: “He has spoken the truth, O Prophet of Allah.” So he completed with them the two rak‘ahs that had been left out.

Abu Dawud reported to us; he said: Ya‘qub reported to us; he said: my father reported to us, from Salih, from Ibn Shihab, that Abu Bakr ibn Sulayman ibn Abi Hathmah informed him that it had reached him that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed two rak‘ahs, and Dhul-Shimalayn said something similar to him. Ibn Shihab said: Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyab informed me of this report, from Abu Hurayrah. He also said: Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman, Abu Bakr ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Harith, and ‘Ubayd Allah ibn ‘Abd Allah informed me of it.

Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abd al-Hakam reported to us; he said: Shu‘ayb reported to us; he said: al-Layth informed us, from ‘Uqayl, who said: Ibn Shihab narrated to me, from Sa‘id, Abu Salamah, Abu Bakr ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman, and Ibn Abi Hathmah, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: On that day, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not prostrate either before the taslim or after it.

‘Amr ibn Sawwad ibn al-Aswad ibn ‘Amr reported to us; he said: ‘Abd Allah ibn Wahb reported to us; he said: al-Layth ibn Sa‘d informed us, from Yazid ibn Abi Habib, from Ja‘far ibn Rabi‘ah, from ‘Irak ibn Malik, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prostrated twice after the taslim on the day of Dhul-Yadayn.

‘Amr ibn Sawwad ibn al-Aswad reported to us; he said: Ibn Wahb informed us; he said: ‘Amr ibn al-Harith informed us; he said: Qatadah reported to us, from Muhammad ibn Sirin, from Abu Hurayrah, from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), with a report to the same effect.

‘Amr ibn ‘Uthman ibn Sa‘id ibn Kathir ibn Dinar reported to us; he said: Baqiyyah reported to us; he said: Shu‘bah reported to us, and Ibn ‘Awn and Khalid al-Hadhdha’ reported to me, from Ibn Sirin, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Prophet (ﷺ) prostrated after the taslim because of a mistake.

Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Naysaburi reported to us; he said: Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari reported to us; he said: Ash‘ath informed me, from Muhammad ibn Sirin, from Khalid al-Hadhdha’, from Abu Qilabah, from Abu al-Muhallab, from ‘Imran ibn Husayn, that the Prophet (ﷺ) led them in prayer and made a mistake. He prostrated twice, then said the taslim.

Abu al-Ash‘ath reported to us, from Yazid ibn Zuray‘, who said: Khalid al-Hadhdha’ reported to us, from Abu Qilabah, from Abu al-Muhallab, from ‘Imran ibn Husayn, who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said the taslim after three rak‘ahs of ‘Asr, then entered his house. A man called al-Khirbaq came to him and said—meaning, “The prayer has been shortened, O Messenger of Allah.” He came out angrily, dragging his upper garment, and said: “Has he spoken the truth?” They said: “Yes.” He stood and prayed that rak‘ah, then said the taslim, prostrated twice for it, and then said the taslim again.

Yahya ibn Habib ibn ‘Arabi reported to us; he said: Khalid reported to us, from Ibn ‘Ajlan, from Zayd ibn Aslam, from ‘Ata’ ibn Yasar, from Abu Sa‘id, from the Prophet (ﷺ), who said: “If any one of you is uncertain about his prayer, let him set aside the doubt and proceed on the basis of what he is certain of. When he is sure he has completed it, let him prostrate twice while seated. If he has prayed five rak‘ahs, the two prostrations will make his prayer even; if he has prayed four, they will humble Satan.”