Fath al-Rabbani

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) led one of the two afternoon prayers (Dhuhr or Asr). Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) had mentioned which prayer it was, but Ibn Sirin forgot it. In any case, after two rak‘ahs, he said salam and came to a piece of wood lying in the mosque. In another narration: Then he came to a trunk lying in the direction of the qiblah, which he used to lean his back against. So he leaned his back against it and placed his hand on it, as if he was angry. Meanwhile, people in haste began to leave through the doors of the mosque, saying: The prayer has been shortened. Among the people were Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), but they were hesitant to speak to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Among the people was a man whose hands were a bit long, and for this reason he was called Dhu’l-Yadayn. He said: O Messenger of Allah! Have you forgotten, or has the prayer been shortened? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I have neither forgotten nor has the prayer been shortened. He said: Certainly, you have performed only two rak‘ahs. The Prophet asked: (Is it) as Dhu’l-Yadayn is saying? The people said: Yes. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came forward and performed the remaining rak‘ahs of the prayer, then said salam, then said Allahu Akbar and performed a prostration like the usual prostrations or even longer, then raised his head and said Allahu Akbar, then performed a prostration like the usual prostrations or longer, then raised his head and said Allahu Akbar. Ibn ‘Awn says: When Muhammad ibn Sirin was asked whether salam was said (after the prostrations), he said: I was informed from Sayyiduna ‘Imran ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did say salam.