The Book of Forgetfulness (In Prayer)

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The tasbih is for men and clapping is for women.'"

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "The tasbih is for men and clapping is for women."

It was narrated that 'Ali said: "I had certain times when I used to come to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). When I came to him I would ask for permission to enter. If I found him praying he would clear his throat and I would enter, and if I found him free he would give me permission (to enter)."

It was narrated that 'Ali said: "I had two times when I would enter upon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), one at night and one during the day. When I entered at night he would clear his throat (to tell me to come in)."

'Abdullah bin Nujayy narrated that his father said: "Ali said to me: 'I was so close to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), closer than anyone else. I used to come to him at the end of every night, before dawn, and say: "As-salamu 'alayka ya Nabiyy Allah (Peace be upon you, O Prophet of Allah)." If he cleared his throat I would go back to my family, otherwise I would enter upon him.'"

It was narrated from Mutarrif that his father said: "I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) when he was praying, and there was a sound coming from his chest like the sound of water boiling," meaning, he was weeping.

It was narrated that Abu Ad-Darda' said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood praying, and we heard him say: 'I seek refuge with Allah from you.' Then he said: 'I curse you with the curse of Allah (SWT),' three times and stretched out his hand as if to take something. When he finished praying we said: 'O Messenger of Allah, we heard you say something in your prayer that we have never heard you say before, and we saw you stretch out your hand.' He said: 'The enemy of Allah (SWT), Iblis, came with a brand of fire to throw it in my face, so I said: I seek refuge with Allah from you three times, then I wanted to take hold of him. By Allah (SWT), were it not for the prayer of our brother Sulaiman, he would have been tied up this morning for the children of Al-Madinah to play with him.'"

It was narrated from Abu Salamah that : Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up to pray and we stood up with him. A Bedouin said- while he was praying- 'O Allah, have mercy on me and Muhammad and do not have mercy on anyone else.' When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said the Salam, he said to the Bedouin: 'You have limited something vast," meaning the mercy of Allah (SWT)."

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: A Bedouin entered the masjid and prayed two rak'ahs, then he said: "O Allah, have mercy on me and on Muhammad and do not have mercy on anyone else." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "You have limited something vast."

It was narrated that Mu'awiyah bin Al-Hakam As-Sulami said: "I said: 'O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), we were recently in a state of ignorance, then Allah (SWT) brought Islam. Some men among us follow omens.' He said: 'That is something that they find in their own hearts; it should not deter them from going ahead.' I said: 'And some men among us go to fortune tellers.' He said: 'Do not go to them.' He said: 'Some men among us draw lines.' He said: 'One of the Prophets used to draw lines. So whoever is in accord with his drawing of lines, then so it is.'" He said: "While I was praying with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), a man sneezed and I said: 'Yarhamuk-Allah (May Allah have mercy on you).' The people glared at me and I said: 'May my mother be bereft of me, why are you looking at me?' The people struck their hands against their thighs, and when I saw that they were telling me to be quiet, I fell silent. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) finished, he called me. May my father and mother be ransomed for him, he neither did hit me nor rebuke me nor revile me. I have never seen a better teacher than him, before or after. He said: 'This prayer of ours is not the place for ordinary human speech, rather it is glorification and magnification of Allah (SWT), and reciting Qur'an.' Then I went out to a flock of sheep of mine that was tended by a slave woman of mine beside Uhud and Al-Jawwaniyyah, and I found that the wolf had taken one of the sheep. I am a man from the sons of Adam and I get upset as they get upset. So I slapped her. Then I came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and told him what happened. He regarded that as a serious action on my part. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), should I set her free?' He said: 'Call her.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to her: 'Where is Allah (SWT), the Mighty and Sublime?' She said: 'Above the heavens.' He said: 'And who am I?' She said: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' He said: 'She is a believer, set her free.'"

It was narrated that Zaid bin Arqam said: "We used to speak to each other during the prayer, saying whatever was necessary, at the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), until this verse was revealed: Guard strictly (five obligatory) As-Salawat (the prayers) especially the middle Salah (i.e. the best prayer- 'Asr). And stand before Allah with obedience (and do not speak to others during the Salah (prayers)), so we were commanded to be silent."

It was narrated that Abdullah bin Mas'ud said: "I used to come to the Prophet (ﷺ) when he was praying, and I would greet him with Salam, he would return my greeting. Then I came to him when he was praying, and he did not return my greeting. When he said the Taslim, he pointed to the people and said: "Allah (SWT) has decreed that in the prayer you should not speak except to remember Allah (SWT), and it is not appropriate for you, and that you should stand before Allah (SWT) with obedience.'"

It was narrated that Ibn Mas'ud said: "We used to greet the Prophet (ﷺ) with salam and he would return our salam, until we came back from the land of Ethiopia. I greeted him with salam and he did not return my greeting,a nd I started to wonder why. So I sat down; and when he finished praying, he said: 'Allah (SWT) decrees what He wills, and He has decreed what we should not speak during the prayer.'"

It was narrated that Abdullah bin Buhainah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led us in praying two rak'ahs, then he stood up and did not sit, and the people stood up with him. When he finished the prayer, and we were waiting for him to say the taslim, he said the takbir and prostrated twice while sitting, before the taslim. Then he said the taslim."

It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin Buhainah that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up during the prayer when he should have sat, so he prostrated twice while sitting, before the taslim.

It was narrated that Muhammad bin Sirin said: "Abu Hurairah said: 'The Prophet (ﷺ) led us in one of the nighttime prayers.'" He said: "Abu Hurairah said: 'But I forgot (which one).' He said: 'He led us in praying two rak'ahs, then he said the taslim and went to a piece of wood that was lying in the masjid and leaned his hand on it as if he was angry. Those who were in a hurry left the masjid, and said: "The prayer has been shortened." Among the people were Abu Bakr and 'Umar but they hesitated to ask him for they revere him. Also among the people was a man with long hands who was known as Dhul-Yadain. He said: O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), 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-Yadain says? They said: yes. So he came and prayed what he had missed, then he said the salam, then he said the takbir and prostrated as usual or longer than that. Then he raised his head and said the takbir, and prostrated as usual or longer than that. Then he raised his head and said the takbir.'"

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that : The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) finished praying two rak'ahs,and Dhul-Yadain said to him: "Has the prayer been shortened or did you forget, O Messenger of Allah?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Is Dhul-Yadain speaking the truth?" The people said: "Yes." So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up and prayed two, then he said the takbir and prostrated as usual or longer than that. Then he raised his head, then he prostrated as usual or longer than that, then he sat up."

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led us in praying 'Asr, and he said the salam after two rak'ahs. Dhul-Yadain stood up and said: 'Has the prayer been shortened, O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) or did you forget?' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Neither.' He said: 'One of them happened, O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) turned to the people and said: 'Is Dhul-Yadain speaking the truth?' They said: 'Yes.' So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) completed what was left of the prayer, then he prostrated twice when he was sitting after the taslim."

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed Zuhr with two rak'ahs, then said the salam. They said: "Has the prayer been shortened?" So he stood up and prayed two rak'ahs, then he said the salam, then he prostrated twice.

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed one day and said the salam after two rak'ahs, then he left. Dhul-Shimalain caught up with him and said: "O Messenger of Alah, has the prayer been shortened or did you forget?" He said: "The prayer has not been shortened, and I did not forget." He said: "Yes, by the One Who sent you with the truth." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Is Dhul-Yadain speaking the truth?" They said: 'Yes.' So he led the people in praying two rak'ahs.

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forgot and said the taslim after two rak'ahs. Dhul-Shimalain said to him: 'Has the prayer been shortened or did you forget, O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Is Dhul-Yadain speaking the truth?' They said: "Yes." So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up and completed the prayer."

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed Zuhr or 'Asr and said the taslim following two rak'ahs and left. Dhul-Shimalain bin 'Amr said to him: 'Has the prayer been shortened or did you forget?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'What is Dhul-Yadain saying?' They said: 'He is speaking the truth, O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' So he led them in praying the two rak'ahs that he missed."

Abu Bakr bin Sulaiman bin Abi Hathmah narrated that: It was conveyed to him that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed two rak'ahs, and Dhul-Shimalain said something similar to him. (One of the narrators Ibn Shihab said: "Sa'eed bin Al-Musayyab informed me of this hadith from Abu Hurairah." He said: "And Abu Salamah bin 'Abdur Rahman, Abu Bakr bin 'Abdur Rahman, abu Bakr bin 'Abdur Rahman bin Al-Harith and 'Ubaidullah bin 'Abdullah informed me."

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not prostrate that day either before the salam or after."

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prostrated twice after the salam on the day of Dhul-Yadain.

Narrated from Abu Hurairah: A similar report was narrated from Abu Hurairah from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that : The Prophet (ﷺ) prostrated after the salam when he was not sure.

It was narrated from Imran bin Husain that: The Prophet (ﷺ) led them in prayer and forgot (how many rak'ahs he had prayed), then he prostrated twice, then he said the salam.

It was narrated that Imran bin Husain said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said the salam after three rak'ahs of 'Asr, then he entered his house. A man called Al-Khibaq stood up and said: 'Has the prayer been shortened, O Messenger of Allah?' He came out angry, dragging his upper garment and said: 'Is he speaking the truth?' They said: 'Yes.' So he stood and prayed that rak'ah, then he said the salam, then prostrated twice, then he said the salam (again)."

It was narrated from Abu Sa'eed that: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "If one of you is not sure about his prayer, let him forget about what he is unsure of and complete his prayer on the basis of what he is sure of. When he is sure that he has completed it, let him prostrate twice while he is sitting. Then if he has prayed five (rak'ahs), they (the two prostrations) will make his prayer even-numbered, and if he had prayed four, they will annoy and humiliate the shaitan."