Chapter: (Prostrating For) Forgetfulness After The Two Prostrations (Rak’ah).

Abu Hurairah said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ led us in one of the evening (Asha) prayers, noon or afternoon. He led us in two Rak’ahs and gave the salutation. He then got up going towards a piece of wood which was placed in the front part of the mosque. He placed his hands upon it, one on the other, looking from his face as if he were angry. The people came out hastily saying: the prayer has been shortened. Abu Bakr and Umar were among the people, but they were too afraid to speak to him. A man whom the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would call “ the possessor of arms” (Dhu al-Yadain) stood up (asking him): Have you forgotten. The Messenger of Allah, or has the prayer been shortened? He said: I have neither forgotten nor has it been shortened. He said: Messenger of Allah, you have forgotten. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned towards the people and asked: did the possessor of arms speak the truth? They made a sign, that is, yes. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned to his place and prayed the remaining two Rak’ahs, then gave the salutation; he then uttered the takbir and prostrated himself as usual or prolonged. He then raised his head and uttered the takbir; then he uttered the takbir and made prostration as usual or made longer (prostration). Then he raised his head his and uttered the takbir (Allah is most great). The narrator Muhammad was asked: Did he give the salutation (while prostrating) dueto forgetfulness? He said: I do not remember it from Abu Hurairah. But we Are sure that Imran bin Husain (in his version) said; he then gave the salutation.

This tradition has been narrated through a different chain of transmitters; but the version of Hammad is more perfect. This version goes; then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed; it does not have the words, “led us (in prayer), ” nor the words “they made a sign”. Thereupon the people said: Yes. He then raised his head. The version does not mention the words “he uttered the takbir. He then uttered the takbir and made the prostration as usual or prolonged it. He then raised his head”. The narrator then prostration as usual or prolonged it. He then raised his head”. The narrator then finished the tradition and did not mention the words that follow it. He did not mention the words “they made a sign”, but Hammad bin Zaid mentioned them in his version. Abu dawud said: Anyone who narrated this tradition did not mention the words “ then he uttered the takbir”, nor the words “he returned”

Abu Hurairah said ; The Messenger of Allah ﷺ led us in prayer. He then narrated the same version reported by Hammad up to the words “we are sure that Imran bin Husain said: then he gave the salutation. ” The narrator said: I asked; What about the Tashahud? He replied: I did not hear thing about the tashahhud, but it is more liking to me that one should recite the tashahhud. This version has not the words “whom he called the possessor of arms (Dhu al-yadain). ” Nor the words “they made a sign, ” nor the word “anger”. The tradition narrated by Hammad from Ayyub is more perfect.

The above mentioned tradition has also been narrated by Abu Hurairah through a different chain of transmitters. This version goes: the Prophet ﷺ uttered the takbir and prostrated himself (in a tradition relating to the incidence of the possessor of arms [Dhu al-yadain]). The narrator Hisham, I, e, Ibn Hassan said: he uttered the takbir ; then he uttered the takbir and prostrated himself. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been narrated by Habib bin al-shahid, Humaid, Yunus, and Asim bin al-Ahwal, from Muhammad on the authority of Abu Hurairah none of them mentioned what Hammad bin Zaid mentioned from from Hisham that he uttered the takbir; then uttered the takbir and prostrated himself. Hammad bin Sulaimah and Abu BAkr bin Ayyash also narrated this tradition from Hisham, but they did not narrate from him what HAmmad bin zaid narrated that he uttered the takbir and again uttered the takbir.

This tradition has also been transmitted by Abu Hurairah through a different chain of narrators. This version goes: he did not make two prostrations (at the end of prayer) due to forgetfulness until Allah gave him satisfaction about it.

Ibn Shihab (al-Zuhr) reported on the authority of Abu Bakr bin Sulaiman bin Abi Hathmah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not make two prostrations when are made when one is doubtful until the people met him. Abu Dawud said; this tradition has also been transmitted by al-Zahidi from al-zuhr from Abu Bakr bin Sulaiman bin Abi HAthman from thre prophet ﷺ. This version goes: he did not make two prostrations on account of forgetfulness.

Abu Hurairah reported; The Prophet ﷺ offered the noon prayer and he gave the salutation at the end of two rakahs. He was asked. Has the prayer been shortened ? then he offered two rakahs of the prayer and made two prostrations (at the end of it).

Narrated Abu Hurairah: When the Prophet ﷺ finished two rak'ahs of an obligatory prayer, a man asked him: Messenger of Allah, has the prayer been shortened, or have you forgotten? he replied: I did not do all that. The people said: Messenger of Allah, you did that. Therefore, he offered another two rak'ahs or prayer and did not make two prostrations due to forgetfulness. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been narrated by Dawud al-Hussain from Abu Sufyan, freed slave of Ibn Abi Ahmad on the authority of Abu Hurairah from the Prophet ﷺ. This version goes: He then made two prostrations while he was sitting after the salutation.

Abu Hurairah reported; He then made two prostration on account of forgetfulness after he had given the salutation.

Ibn Umar said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ led us in prayer and gave the salutation after two rakahs of prayer. He narrated this tradition like that of Ibn Sirin from Abu Hurairah. This version adds; he gave the salutation and prostrated two prostrations due to forgetfulness.

Imran bin Husain said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave the salutation at the end of three rakahs in the afternoon prayer, then went into the apartment (according to the version of maslamah). A man called al-Khirbaq who had long arms got up and said ; has the prayer been shortened, Messenger of Allah ? He came out angrily trailing his cloak and said: Is he telling the truth ? they said; Yes. He then prayed that rakah, then gave the salutation, then made two prostrations, then gave the salutation.