Abdullah (bin Masud) said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed five rak’ahs in the noon prayer. He was asked whether the prayer had been extended. He asked what they meant by that. The people said: you prayed five rak’ahs. Then he made two prostrations after having given the salutation.

حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَمُسْلِمُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْمَعْنَى، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ حَفْصٌ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ الْحَكَمِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْعَلْقَمَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الظُّهْرَ خَمْسًا، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَقِيلَ لَهُ:‏‏‏‏ أَزِيدَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ "وَمَا ذَاكَ ؟"قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ صَلَّيْتَ خَمْسًا، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ مَا سَلَّمَ.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Masud: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ offered prayer. The version of the narrator Ibrahim goes: I do not know whether he increased or decreased (the rak'ahs of prayer). When he gave the salutation, he was asked: Has something new happened in the prayer, Messenger of Allah? He said: What is it? They said: You prayed so many and so many (rak'ahs). He then relented his foot and faced the Qiblah and made two prostrations. He then gave the salutation. When he turned away (finished the prayer), he turned his face to us and said: Had anything new happened in prayer, I would have informed you. I am only a human being and I forget just as you do; so when I forget, remind me, and when any of you is in doubt about his prayer he should aim at what is correct, and complete his prayer in that respect, then give the salutation and afterwards made two prostrations.

حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ:‏‏‏‏ صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ:‏‏‏‏ فَلَا أَدْرِي زَادَ أَمْ نَقَصَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قِيلَ لَهُ:‏‏‏‏ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏أَحَدَثَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ شَيْءٌ ؟ قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ "وَمَا ذَاكَ ؟"قَالُوا:‏‏‏‏ صَلَّيْتَ كَذَا وَكَذَا، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَثَنَى رِجْلَهُ وَاسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ فَسَجَدَ بِهِمْ سَجْدَتَيْنِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَلَمَّا انْفَتَلَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا بِوَجْهِهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَقَالَ:‏‏‏‏ "إِنَّهُ لَوْ حَدَثَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ شَيْءٌ أَنْبَأْتُكُمْ بِهِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَلَكِنْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ أَنْسَى كَمَا تَنْسَوْنَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَإِذَا نَسِيتُ فَذَكِّرُونِي"وَقَالَ:‏‏‏‏ "إِذَا شَكَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِ فَلْيَتَحَرَّ الصَّوَابَ فَلْيُتِمَّ عَلَيْهِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ لِيُسَلِّمْ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ لِيَسْجُدْ سَجْدَتَيْنِ".

This tradition has also been transmitted by Abdullah (bin Masud) through a different chain of narrators. This version goes; when one of you forgets (in his prayer), he should perform two prostrations. Then he turned away, and performed two prostrations (due to forgetfulness). Abu Dawud said: The narrator Husain also reported it like al-Amash.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏بِهَذَا، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ "فَإِذَا نَسِيَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَسْجُدْ سَجْدَتَيْنِ"ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلَ فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ. قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُد:‏‏‏‏ رَوَاهُ حُصَيْنٌ نَحْوَ حَدِيثِ الْأَعْمَشِ.

Abdullah (bin Masud) said; The Messenger of Allah ﷺ led us in five rak’ahs of prayer. When he turned away (i, e, finished his prayer), the people whispered among themselves. He asked; what is the matter with you ? They said: Messenger of Allah, has (the number of the rak’ahs of) the prayer been increased ? he said: No. they said; you have offered five rak’ahs of prayer. He then turned away and performed two prostrations, and afterwards gave the salutation. He then said: I am only a human being, I forget, as you forget.

حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏أَخْبَرَنَا جَرِيرٌ. ح وحَدَّثَنَا يُوسُفُ بْنُ مُوسَى، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَهَذَا حَدِيثُ يُوسُفَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ:‏‏‏‏ صَلَّى بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَمْسًا، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَلَمَّا انْفَتَلَ تَوَشْوَشَ الْقَوْمُ بَيْنَهُمْ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَقَالَ:‏‏‏‏ "مَا شَأْنُكُمْ ؟"قَالُوا:‏‏‏‏ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏هَلْ زِيدَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ ؟ قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ "لَا"قَالُوا:‏‏‏‏ فَإِنَّكَ قَدْ صَلَّيْتَ خَمْسًا، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَانْفَتَلَ فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ "إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ أَنْسَى كَمَا تَنْسَوْنَ".

Narrated Muawiyah ibn Khudayj: One day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed and gave the salutation while a rak'ah of the prayer remained to be offered. A man went to him and said: You forgot to offer one rak'ah of prayer. Then he returned and entered the mosque and ordered Bilal (to utter the Iqamah). He uttered the Iqamah for prayer. He then led the people in one rak'ah of prayer. I stated it to the people. They asked me: Do you know who he was? I said: No, but I can recognise him if I see him. Then the man passed by me, I said: It is he. The people said: This is Talhah ibn Ubaydullah.

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَعْدٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏أَنَّ سُوَيْدَ بْنَ قَيْسٍ أَخْبَرَهُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْمُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ حُدَيْجٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ"صَلَّى يَوْمًا فَسَلَّمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَقَدْ بَقِيَتْ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ رَكْعَةٌ"فَأَدْرَكَهُ رَجُلٌ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَقَالَ:‏‏‏‏ نَسِيتَ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ رَكْعَةً، ‏‏‏‏‏‏"فَرَجَعَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَدَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ وَأَمَرَ بِلَالًا، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَصَلَّى لِلنَّاسِ رَكْعَةً"فَأَخْبَرْتُ بِذَلِكَ النَّاسَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَقَالُوا لِي:‏‏‏‏ أَتَعْرِفُ الرَّجُلَ ؟ قُلْتُ:‏‏‏‏ لَا، ‏‏‏‏‏‏إِلَّا أَنْ أَرَاهُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَمَرَّ بِي، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَقُلْتُ:‏‏‏‏ هَذَا هُوَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَقَالُوا:‏‏‏‏ هَذَا طَلْحَةُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ.

Ata bin Yasar said that Abu Saeed Al-Khudri reported the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: when one of you is in doubt about his prayer (i. e, how much he has prayed), he should throw away his doubt and base his prayer on what he is sure of. When he is sure about the completion of his prayer, he should make two prostrations (at the end of the prayer). If the prayer is complete, the additional rak’ah and the two prostrations will be supererogatory prayer. If the prayer is incomplete, the additional rak’ahs will compensate it, and the two prostrations will be a disgrace for the devil.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُّ بْنُ الْعَلَاءِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَالِدٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ ابْنِ عَجْلَانَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:‏‏‏‏ "إِذَا شَكَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِ فَلْيُلْقِ الشَّكَّ وَلْيَبْنِ عَلَى الْيَقِينِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَإِذَا اسْتَيْقَنَ التَّمَامَ سَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَإِنْ كَانَتْ صَلَاتُهُ تَامَّةً كَانَتِ الرَّكْعَةُ نَافِلَةً وَالسَّجْدَتَانِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَإِنْ كَانَتْ نَاقِصَةً كَانَتِ الرَّكْعَةُ تَمَامًا لِصَلَاتِهِ وَكَانَتِ السَّجْدَتَانِ مُرْغِمَتَيِ الشَّيْطَانِ". قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُد:‏‏‏‏ رَوَاهُ هِشَامُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُطَرِّفٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ زَيْدٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَحَدِيثُ أَبِي خَالِدٍ أَشْبَعُ.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: The Prophet ﷺ named the two prostrations of forgetfulness disgraceful for the devil.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ أَبِي رِزْمَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏أَخْبَرَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ مُوسَى، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ كَيْسَانَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ"سَمَّى سَجْدَتَيِ السَّهْوِ الْمُرْغِمَتَيْنِ".

Narrated Ata ibn Yasar: The Prophet ﷺ said: When one of you is in doubt about his prayer, and does not know how much he has prayed, three or four rak'ahs, he should pray one (additional) rak'ah and make two prostrations while sitting before giving the salutation. If the (additional) rak'ah which he prayed is the fifth one, he will make it an even number by these two prostrations. If it is the fourth one, the two prostrations will be a disgrace for the devil.

حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ مَالِكٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ "إِذَا شَكَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِ فَلَا يَدْرِي كَمْ صَلَّى ثَلَاثًا أَوْ أَرْبَعًا فَلْيُصَلِّ رَكْعَةً وَلْيَسْجُدْ سَجْدَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ قَبْلَ التَّسْلِيمِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَإِنْ كَانَتِ الرَّكْعَةُ الَّتِي صَلَّى خَامِسَةً شَفَعَهَا بِهَاتَيْنِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَإِنْ كَانَتْ رَابِعَةً فَالسَّجْدَتَانِ تَرْغِيمٌ لِلشَّيْطَانِ".

Zaid bin Aslam reported on the authority of the chain of Malik: The Prophet ﷺ said: If one of you is in doubt about his prayer, and if he is sure that he prayed three rak'ah, he should stand and complete one rak'ah along with its prostrations. Then he should sit and recite the tashahhud. When he finishes the prayer, and there remains nothing except salutation, he should make two prostrations while he is sitting and afterwards should give the salutation. The narrator then narrated the tradition similar to that of Malik. Abu Dawud said: Similarly, this tradition has been narrated by Ibn Wahb from Malik, Hafs bin Maisarah, Dawud bin Qais and Hisham bin Saad. But Hisham projected it to Abu Saeed al-Khudri.

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْقَارِيُّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ بِإِسْنَادِ مَالِكٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ "إِذَا شَكَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِ فَإِنِ اسْتَيْقَنَ أَنْ قَدْ صَلَّى ثَلَاثًا فَلْيَقُمْ فَلْيُتِمَّ رَكْعَةً بِسُجُودِهَا، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ يَجْلِسْ فَيَتَشَهَّدْ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَإِذَا فَرَغَ فَلَمْ يَبْقَ إِلَّا أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ فَلْيَسْجُدْ سَجْدَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ لِيُسَلِّمْ". ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ مَعْنَى مَالِكٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُد:‏‏‏‏ وَكَذَلِكَ رَوَاهُ ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ مَالِكٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَحَفْصِ بْنِ مَيْسَرَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَدَاوُدَ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَهِشَامِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏إِلا أَنَّ هِشَامًا بَلَغَ بِهِ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيَّ.

Abu Ubaydah reported, on the authority of his father Abdullah (ibn Masud), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: When you offer the prayer, and you are in doubt about the number of rak'ahs whether offered three or four, and you have prayed four rak'ahs in all probability in your opinion, you should recite tashahhud and make two prostrations while you are sitting before giving the salutation. afterwards you should recite the tashahhud and give the salutation again. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Abd al-Wahid from Khusaif, but he did not report it as a statement of the Prophet ﷺ. The version of Abd al-Wahid has been corroborated by Sufyan, Sharik, and Isra'il. They differed amongst themselves about the text of the tradition and they did not narrate it with the continuous chain up to the Prophet ﷺ.

حَدَّثَنَا النُّفَيْلِيُّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ خُصَيْفٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ أَبِيهِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ "إِذَا كُنْتَ فِي صَلَاةٍ فَشَكَكْتَ فِي ثَلَاثٍ أَوْ أَرْبَعٍ وَأَكْبَرُ ظَنِّكَ عَلَى أَرْبَعٍ تَشَهَّدْتَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ سَجَدْتَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ وَأَنْتَ جَالِسٌ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُسَلِّمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ تَشَهَّدْتَ أَيْضًا، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ تُسَلِّمُ". قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُد:‏‏‏‏ رَوَاهُ عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ خُصَيْفٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَلَمْ يَرْفَعْهُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَوَافَقَ عَبْدَ الْوَاحِدِ أَيْضًا سُفْيَانُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَشَرِيكٌ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَإِسْرَائِيلُ وَاخْتَلَفُوا فِي الْكَلَامِ فِي مَتْنِ الْحَدِيثِ وَلَمْ يُسْنِدُوهُ.