The Book of Forgetfulness (In Prayer)

It was narrated from Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri that: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "If one of you does not know whether he prayed three or four (rak'ahs), let him pray a rak'ah then prostrate twice after that when he is sitting. Then if he 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."

It was narrated from 'Abdullah and attributed to the Prophet (ﷺ): "If one of you is not sure about his prayer, let him estimate what he thinks is most likely to be correct and complete the prayer on that basis, then let him prostrate twice."

It was narrated that 'Abdullah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'If one of you is not sure about his prayer, let him estimate and prostrate twice after he has finished."

It was narrated that 'Abdullah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed and did more or less (rak'ahs). When he had said the taslim, it was said: 'O Messenger of Allah, has there been some change concerning the prayer?' He said: 'If there had been some change concerning the prayer, I would have told you. Rather I am a human being and I forget as you forget. If any one of you is not sure about his prayer, let him consider an estimate of what is correct, and complete his prayer on that basis, then say the taslim and prostrate twice.'"

It was narrated that 'Abdullah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed and did more or less (rak'ahs). When he had said the salam we said: 'O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), has there been some change concerning the prayer?' He said: 'Why are you asking?' So we told him what he had done. He turned back toward the Qiblah and prostrated two prostrations of forgetfulness, then he turned to face us and said: 'If there had been some change concerning the prayer I would have told you.' Then he said: 'Rather I am a human being and I forget as you forget. If any one of you is not sure about his prayer, let him estimate what he thinks is correct, and complete his prayer on that basis, then say the taslim and prostrate two prostrations of forgetfulness.'"

It was narrated from 'Abdullah that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed Zuhr then he turned to face them and they said: 'Has there been some change concerning the prayer?' He said: 'Why are you asking?' They told him what he had done, so he turned back toward the Qiblah and prostrated twice. Then he said the salam and turned to face them and said: 'I am only human, I forget as you forget, so if I forget, then remind me.' And he said: 'If there had been some change concerning the prayer I would have told you.' And he said: 'If one of you is not sure about his prayer, let him estimate what is closest to what is correct, then let him complete it on that basis, then prostrate twice.'

It was narrated that 'Abdullah said: "Whoever us not sure about his prayer, then let him estimate what is correct, then let him prostrate twice after he finished his prayer, while he is sitting."

It was narrated that 'Abdullah said: "Whoever has doubt, or is not sure, let him estimate what is correct, then let him prostrate twice."

It was narrated that Ibrahim said: "They used to say: 'If one is not sure of what he estimates is correct, then prostrate twice.'"

It was narrated that Abdullah bin Ja'far said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever has doubt during his prayer, let him prostrate twice after he has said the taslim'".

It was narrated 'Abdullah bin Ja'far that : The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever has doubt during his prayer, let him prostrate twice after he said the taslim."

It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin Ja'far that : The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever has doubt during his prayer, let him prostrate twice after he said the taslim."

It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin Ja'far that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever has doubt during his prayer, let him prostrate twice." (One of the narrators) Hajjaj said: "After he has said the taslim." (Another of them) Rawh said: "While he is sitting."

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "When any one of you gets up and prays, the Shaitan comes to him an confuses him until he does not know how many (Rak'ahs) he prayed. If any one of you notices that, let him prostrate twice when he is sitting."

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'When the call to prayer is given, the Shaitan runs away breaking wind loudly. When the Tathwb (Iqamah) is completed, he comes back and whispers to a man in his hear, until he does not know how many (rak'ahs) he has prayed. If any one of you notices that, let him prostrate twice.'"

It was narrated that 'Abdullah said: "The Prophet(ﷺ) prayed Zuhr with five rak'ahs, and it was said to him: 'Has something been added to the prayer?' He said: 'Why are you asking?' They said: 'You prayed five.' So he turned around and prostrated twice."

It was narrated from 'Abdullah that: The Prophet (ﷺ) led them in praying Zuhr with five (rak'ahs). They said: 'You prayed five.' So he prostrated twice after he had said the taslim, while he was sitting.

It was narrated that Ibrahim bin Suwaid said: "Alqamah prayed five (rak'ahs) and was told about that. He said: 'Did I really do that?' I nodded yes. He said: 'What about you, O odd-eyed one?' I said: 'Yes'. So he prostrated twice, then he narrated to us from 'Abdullah that the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed five (rak'ahs), and the people whispered to one another, then they said to him: 'Has something been added the prayer?' He said: 'No.' So they told him, and he turned around and prostrated twice, then he said: 'I am only human; I forget as you forget.'"

It was narrated that Malik bin Mighwal said: "I heard Ash-Sha'bi say: 'Alqamah bin Qais forgot (and made a mistake) in his prayer, and they told him about that after he had spoken, He said: 'Is that true, O odd-eyed one?' He said: 'Yes.' So he undid his cloak, then he performed two prostrations of forgtfulness,and said: 'This is what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did.' He said: And I heard Al-Hakam say: 'Alqamah had prayed five.'"

It was narrated that Ibrahim said: "Alqamah prayed five (rak'ahs) and when he said the taslim, Ibrahim bin Suwaid said : 'O Abu Shibl, you prayed five!' He said: 'Is that true, O odd-eyed one?' Then he prostrated two prostrations of forgetfulness, then he said: 'This is what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did.'"

It was narrated from 'Abdullah that : The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) offered one of the afternoon prayers with five (rak'ahs), and it was said to him: "Has something been added to the prayer?" He said: 'Why are you asking?' They said: 'You prayed five.' He said: 'I am only human, I forget as you forget, and I remember as you remember.' Then he prostrated twice then ended his prayer.

It was narrated from Muhammad bin Yusuf, the freed slave of Uthman, from his father Yusuf, that: Mu'awiyah prayed in front of them, and he stood up during the prayer when he should have sat. The people said tasbih, but he remained standing, then he prostrated twice while he was sitting, after he completed the prayer. Then he sat on the Minbar and said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'Whoever forgets something in his prayer, let him prostrate twice like this.'

It was narrated from 'Abdur-Rahman Al A'raj that: Abdullah bin Buhainah told him that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up following two rak'ahs of Zuhr and did not sit down (for tashahhud). When he finished the prayer he prostrated twice, saying Takbir for each prostration, while he was sitting, before he said the taslim, and the people prostrated with him. (He did that) in place of the sitting that he had forgotten.

It was narrated that Abu Humaid As-Sa'idi said: "At the end of the last two rak'ahs of the prayer, the Prophet (ﷺ) would move his left foot forward and sit on his left buttock, Mutawarrikan, then he would say the taslim.

It was narrated that Wa'il bin Hujr said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raise his hands when he started to pray, and when he bowed, and when he raised his head from bowing. And when he sat, he would ay his left foot on the ground and keep his right foot upright, and he placed his left hand on his left thigh, and his right hand on his right thigh, making a circle with his middle finger and thumb, and pointing."

It was narrated from Wa'il bin Hujr that : He saw the Prophet (ﷺ) sitting during the prayer. He lay his left foot on the ground and placed his forearms on his thighs, and pointed with his forefinger, supplicating with it.

It was narrated that Wa'il bin Hujr said: "I said: 'I am going to watch the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and see how he prays.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up and faced the Qiblah, then he raised his hands until they were in level with his ears, then he held his left hand with his right. When he wanted to bow, he raised them (his hands) likewise, then placed his hands on his knees. When he raised his head from bowing, he raised them (his hands) likewise. When he prostrated he put his hands in the same position in relation to his head, then he sat up and lay his left foot on the ground. He placed his left hand on his left thigh and his right elbow on his right thigh, and made a circle with two of his fingers. And I saw him doing like this"- Bishr (one of the narrators) pointed with the forefinger of his right hand and made a circle with the thumb and middle finger.

'Ali bin Abdur-Rahman said: "I prayed beside Ibn Umar and I turned over the pebbles. Ibn Umar said to me: 'Do not turn over the pebbles, for turning over the pebbles comes from Shaitan. Do what I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) do.' I said: 'What did you see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) do?' He said; 'This'- and he held his right foot upright and lay his left foot on the ground, and placed his right hand on his right thigh and his left hand on his left thigh, and pointed with his forefinger."

It was narrated that 'Ali bin Abdur-Rahman said: "Ibn Umar saw me playing with the pebbles while praying. When he finished (praying), he told me not to do that and said: 'Do what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do.' I said: 'What did he used to do?' He said: 'When he sat during the prayer, he placed his right hand on his thigh and clenched all his fingers, and pointed with the finger that is next to the thumb, and he put his left hand on his left thigh."

Wa'il bin Hujr said: "I am going to watch the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and see how he prays. So, I watched him." And he described (his prayer): "Then he sat and lay his left foot on the ground, and placed his left hand on his left thigh and knee. He put his right elbow on his right thigh, then he made a circle with two fingers of his (right) hand, then he raised his finger and I saw him moving it, supplicating with it."