The Book of Forgetfulness (In Prayer)

Muhammad ibn Rafi‘ reported to us; he said: Hujayn ibn al-Muthanna reported to us; he said: ‘Abd al-‘Aziz—namely, Ibn Abi Salamah—reported to us, from Zayd ibn Aslam, from ‘Ata’ ibn Yasar, from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri, from the Prophet (ﷺ), who said: “If any one of you does not know whether he has prayed three or four rak‘ahs, let him pray one rak‘ah, then prostrate twice after that 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.”

Muhammad ibn Rafi‘ reported to us; he said: Yahya ibn Adam reported to us; he said: Mufaddal—namely, Ibn Muhalhil—reported to us, from Mansur, from Ibrahim, from ‘Alqamah, from ‘Abd Allah, attributing it to the Prophet (ﷺ), who said: “If any one of you is uncertain during his prayer, let him determine which course he believes to be correct and complete the prayer on that basis. Then”—that is, let him prostrate twice. A narrator added: “I did not understand some of his wording as fully as I would have liked.”

Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak al-Mukharrami reported to us; he said: Waki‘ reported to us, from Mis‘ar, from Mansur, from Ibrahim, from ‘Alqamah, from ‘Abd Allah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “If any one of you is uncertain about his prayer, let him seek what he believes to be correct and prostrate twice after he has finished.”

Suwayd ibn Nasr informed us; he said: ‘Abd Allah informed us, from Mis‘ar, from Mansur, from Ibrahim, from ‘Alqamah, from ‘Abd Allah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed and added or omitted something. When he said the taslim, we said: “O Messenger of Allah, has something changed in the prayer?” He said: “If something had changed in the prayer, I would have informed you. Rather, I am only a human being; I forget just as you forget. So whoever among you is uncertain about his prayer, let him consider which is more likely to be correct and complete the prayer on that basis. Then let him say the taslim and prostrate twice.”

Al-Hasan ibn Isma‘il ibn Sulayman al-Mujalidi reported to us; he said: al-Fudayl—meaning, Ibn ‘Iyad—reported to us, from Mansur, from Ibrahim, from ‘Alqamah, from ‘Abd Allah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed and did more or less than intended. When he said the taslim, we said: “O Prophet of Allah, has something happened in the prayer?” He said: “What is that?” We told him what he had done. He folded his leg, turned toward the qiblah, and prostrated twice for forgetfulness. Then he turned to face us and said: “If anything had happened in the prayer, I would have informed you.” Then he said: “I am only a human being; I forget just as you forget. So whoever among you is uncertain about something in his prayer, let him determine which course he believes to be correct; then let him say the taslim and prostrate twice for forgetfulness.”

Isma‘il ibn Mas‘ud reported to us; he said: Khalid ibn al-Harith reported to us, from Shu‘bah, who said: Mansur wrote to me. I read it back to him, and I heard him narrating to a man from Ibrahim, from ‘Alqamah, from ‘Abd Allah, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed the Zuhr prayer, then turned to face them. They said: “Has something happened in the prayer?” He said: “What is that?” They told him what he had done. He folded his leg, turned toward the qiblah, and prostrated twice. Then he said the taslim, turned to face them, and said: “I am only a human being; I forget just as you forget, so remind me when I forget.” He also said: “If something had happened in the prayer, I would have informed you.” And he said: “If any one of you becomes uncertain during his prayer, let him determine which course is closest to what is correct, complete the prayer on that basis, and then prostrate twice.”

Suwayd ibn Nasr informed us; he said: ‘Abd Allah informed us, from Shu‘bah, from al-Hakam, who said: I heard Abu Wa’il say that ‘Abd Allah said: “Whoever becomes uncertain during his prayer, let him determine what is correct, then prostrate twice after he has finished, while seated.”

Suwayd ibn Nasr informed us; he said: ‘Abd Allah informed us, from Mis‘ar, from al-Hakam, from Abu Wa’il, from ‘Abd Allah, who said: “Whoever doubts or becomes uncertain, let him determine what is correct, then prostrate twice.”

Suwayd ibn Nasr informed us; he said: ‘Abd Allah informed us, from Ibn ‘Awn, from Ibrahim, who said: “They used to say: If someone becomes uncertain, let him determine what is correct, then prostrate twice.”

Suwayd ibn Nasr informed us; he said: ‘Abd Allah informed us, from Ibn Jurayj, who said: ‘Abd Allah ibn Musafi‘ said, from ‘Utbah ibn Muhammad ibn al-Harith, from ‘Abd Allah ibn Ja‘far, who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever is uncertain during his prayer, let him prostrate twice after saying the taslim.”

Muhammad ibn Hashim informed us; al-Walid informed us; Ibn Jurayj informed us, from ‘Abd Allah ibn Musafi‘, from ‘Utbah ibn Muhammad ibn al-Harith, from ‘Abd Allah ibn Ja‘far, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever is uncertain during his prayer, let him prostrate twice after the taslim.”

Muhammad ibn Isma‘il ibn Ibrahim reported to us; he said: Hajjaj reported to us; Ibn Jurayj said: ‘Abd Allah ibn Musafi‘ informed me that Mus‘ab ibn Shaybah informed him, from ‘Utbah ibn Muhammad ibn al-Harith, from ‘Abd Allah ibn Ja‘far, that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever is uncertain during his prayer, let him prostrate twice after saying the taslim.”

Harun ibn ‘Abd Allah reported to us; he said: Hajjaj and Rawh—namely, Ibn ‘Ubadah—reported to us, from Ibn Jurayj, who said: ‘Abd Allah ibn Musafi‘ informed me that Mus‘ab ibn Shaybah informed him, from ‘Utbah ibn Muhammad ibn al-Harith, from ‘Abd Allah ibn Ja‘far, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever is uncertain during his prayer, let him prostrate twice.” Hajjaj added: “After he has said the taslim.” Rawh added: “While seated.”

Qutaybah reported to us, from Malik, from Ibn Shihab, from Abu Salamah, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “When any one of you stands to pray, Satan comes to him and confuses his prayer until he no longer knows how much he has prayed. When any one of you experiences that, let him prostrate twice while seated.”

Bishr ibn Hilal reported to us; he said: ‘Abd al-Warith reported to us, from Hisham al-Dastawa’i, from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, from Abu Salamah, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “When the call to prayer is given, Satan turns away, passing wind. When the iqamah has been completed, he comes back and intrudes between a person and his heart, until the person no longer knows how much he has prayed. If any one of you notices this, let him prostrate twice.”

Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna and Muhammad ibn Bashshar—and the wording here is Ibn al-Muthanna’s—reported to us; both said: Yahya reported to us, from Shu‘bah, from al-Hakam, from Ibrahim, from ‘Alqamah, from ‘Abd Allah, who said: The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed Zuhr for five rak‘ahs. He was asked: “Has something been added to the prayer?” He said: “What is that?” They said: “You prayed five.” So he folded his leg and prostrated twice.

‘Abdah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahim reported to us; he said: Ibn Shumayl informed us; he said: Shu‘bah informed us, from al-Hakam and Mughirah, from Ibrahim, from ‘Alqamah, from ‘Abd Allah, from the Prophet (ﷺ), that he led them in the Zuhr prayer for five rak‘ahs. They said: “You prayed five.” So he prostrated twice after saying the taslim, while seated.

Muhammad ibn Rafi‘ reported to us; he said: Yahya ibn Adam narrated to me; he said: Mufaddal ibn Muhalhil reported to us, from al-Hasan ibn ‘Ubayd Allah, from Ibrahim ibn Suwayd, who said: ‘Alqamah prayed five rak‘ahs and was told so. He said: “I did not do that.” I nodded my head, “Yes, you did.” He said: “And you too, O one-eyed man?” I said: “Yes.” So he prostrated twice. Then he narrated to us from ‘Abd Allah, from the Prophet (ﷺ), that he prayed five rak‘ahs. The people whispered to one another and said to him: “Has something been added to the prayer?” He said: “No.” They informed him [that he had prayed five], so he folded his leg and prostrated twice. Then he said: “I am only a human being; I forget just as you forget.”

Suwayd ibn Nasr informed us; he said: ‘Abd Allah informed us, from Malik ibn Mighwal, who said: I heard al-Sha‘bi say: ‘Alqamah ibn Qays made a mistake in his prayer. They told him about it after he had spoken. He said: “Is that so, O one-eyed man?” He said: “Yes.” Alqamah unfolded his legs from their tucked-up sitting position, then performed the two prostrations of forgetfulness and said: “This is what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did.” Malik ibn Mighwal added: I heard al-Hakam say: “Alqamah had prayed five rak‘ahs.”

Suwayd ibn Nasr informed us; he said: ‘Abd Allah informed us, from Sufyan, from al-Hasan ibn ‘Ubayd Allah, from Ibrahim, that ‘Alqamah prayed five rak‘ahs. When he said the taslim, Ibrahim ibn Suwayd said: “O Abu Shibl, you prayed five.” He said: “Is that so, O one-eyed man?” Then he performed the two prostrations of forgetfulness and said: “This is what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did.”