Forgetfulness in prayer

Sayyiduna Uthman Ghani (may Allah be pleased with him) says: A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah! I was praying, and I did not know whether I had prayed an even number of rak'ahs or an odd number." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Beware of Shaytan toying with you in your prayer. Whoever among you is praying and does not know whether he has prayed an even or an odd number of rak'ahs should prostrate twice, for these two will complete his prayer."
Ahmad recorded it through Yazid bin Abi Kabshah from Sayyiduna Uthman Ghani (may Allah be pleased with him), and Yazid did not hear from Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). Ahmad's son Abdullah narrated it from Yazid bin Abi Kabshah, from Marwan, from Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), and narrated something similar. The narrators of both routes are thiqat (trustworthy).

Ata' says: Sayyiduna Abdullah bin al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with them both) prayed the Maghrib prayer and gave salam after two rak'ahs, then he got up to touch the Black Stone, and the people began saying Subhan Allah. He asked: "What is the matter with you?" Then he prayed what remained of the prayer and prostrated twice. This was mentioned to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), and he said: "He has not deviated from the Sunnah of his Prophet."
Ahmad, al-Bazzar, and al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir and al-Mu'jam al-Awsat recorded it; the narrators of Ahmad are the narrators of the Sahih.

Ma'di bin Sulayman, who is a thiqah (trustworthy) narrator, says: I went to Mutayr to ask him about the hadith narrated by Sayyiduna Dhu al-Yadayn. I came to him and asked him about it, but he was a very old man who, because of his old age, could not complete what he was saying. His son Shu'ayb said: "Yes, O my father! You narrated to me that you met Sayyiduna Dhu al-Yadayn at Dhu Khushub, and he narrated to you that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led them in one of the two afternoon prayers and gave salam after two rak'ahs (the narrator says: it was the Asr prayer). The hasty people went out, and among those present were Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Sayyiduna Dhu al-Yadayn said: 'Has the prayer been shortened, or have you forgotten?' The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'It has neither been shortened, nor have I forgotten.' Then he turned to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked: 'What is Dhu al-Yadayn saying?' They both said: 'O Messenger of Allah! He is speaking the truth.' So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went back, the people stood up, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led them in two rak'ahs; then he gave salam and performed the two prostrations of forgetfulness." In one narration the wording is: Shu'ayb, the son of Mutayr, narrated this hadith to me while Mutayr was present there, and he confirmed his son's account. When he asked: "How had I narrated it to you?" his son said: "O my father! You met Sayyiduna Dhu al-Yadayn at Dhu Khushub," and after that the narrator narrated the hadith as before. Abdullah bin Ahmad recorded both narrations among the additions he made to the Musnad; its chain contains a narrator, Ma'di bin Sulayman, about whom Abu Hatim said: He is a shaykh, and al-Nasa'i (may Allah have mercy on him) graded him da'if (weak).

Qays bin Abi Hazim says: Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him), while leading us in prayer, stood up after two rak'ahs. We said Subhan Allah for him, but he remained standing; he continued his standing until, when he finished the prayer, he said: "Did you think that I should have sat down? I did just as I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) doing." Abu Uthman Amr bin Muhammad al-Naqid says: We have not heard anyone narrate this hadith as marfu' except Abu Mu'awiyah.
Abu Ya'la and al-Bazzar recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Qays bin Abi Hazim says: Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Malik was leading us in prayer. The narrator says: After that he narrated something similar to the narration of Abu Mu'awiyah, but he did not mention the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in it.
Abu Ya'la also recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyidah Aishah Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The two prostrations of forgetfulness suffice for every shortfall and every excess (in the prayer)."
Abu Ya'la, al-Bazzar, and al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat recorded it; its chain contains a narrator, Hakim bin Nafi', whom Abu Zur'ah graded da'if (weak) and Yahya bin Ma'in graded thiqah (trustworthy).

Abu al-Malih bin Usamah narrates from his father that a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah! I wish to complain to you of a whispering that I find in my chest: when I begin my prayer, I do not know whether I have ended the rak'ahs on an even number or on an odd number." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you experience this, raise the index finger of your right hand and jab it into your left thigh, and say: 'Bismillah' (In the name of Allah), for it is a knife against Shaytan."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and al-Bazzar also recorded it, but he did not present the wording of this hadith well; perhaps this is due to a defect in the manuscript, and Allah knows best. Its chain contains al-Muhajir bin al-Munib, narrating from Abu al-Malih, and he is majhul (unknown).

Sayyidah Maymunah bint Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with her) says that she said: "O Messenger of Allah! Tell us the ruling about a man who becomes forgetful in his prayer and does not know how much he has prayed." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "He should not end the prayer; he should stand in the prayer until he knows how much he has prayed, for these are whisperings that keep presenting themselves and make a person heedless of his prayer."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its chain contains majhul (unknown) narrators.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led them in the Asr or perhaps the Zuhr prayer, and he stood up after two rak'ahs (instead of sitting for the tashahhud). The people said Subhan Allah to him, but he continued his prayer. When he completed the prayer, he prostrated twice and then gave salam.
Al-Bazzar recorded it, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave salam after leading them in three rak'ahs of the Asr prayer, then he went to the house of one of his wives. One of his Companions, who was called Dhu al-Shimalayn, came to him and said: "O Messenger of Allah! Has the prayer been reduced?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "What has happened?" He said: "You have prayed three rak'ahs." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) got up, took him by the hand, went out and came to the people who had prayed behind him, and asked: "Is Dhu al-Yadayn speaking the truth?" The people said: "What has happened?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "He says that I led three rak'ahs." The people said: "He is speaking the truth; we thought that perhaps you had been given some command regarding this." (The narrator says:) So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led them in one more rak'ah and then, after the tashahhud, performed the two prostrations of forgetfulness.
Al-Bazzar and al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir recorded it; its chain contains a narrator, Isma'il bin Aban al-Ghanawi al-Amiri, who is matruk (abandoned).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave salam after leading us in three rak'ahs, and Sayyiduna Dhu al-Shimalayn said to him: "O Messenger of Allah! Has the prayer been reduced?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "O Dhu al-Yadayn, is it so?" He said: "Yes." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) then performed one rak'ah and made two prostrations (the narrator has a doubt here about one word).
Al-Bazzar and al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir recorded it; its chain contains a narrator, Jabir al-Ju'fi, whom Shu'bah and Sufyan al-Thawri graded thiqah (trustworthy), while people graded him da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed five rak'ahs in the Asr prayer, so he performed the two prostrations of error (i.e. the prostrations of forgetfulness) while he was sitting.
Al-Bazzar and al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir and al-Mu'jam al-Awsat recorded it; its chain contains a narrator, Sa'id bin Bashir, who is thiqah (trustworthy), but his memory became confused (ikhtilat).

Abu Khaldah says: I asked Ibn Sirin: "I pray, and I do not know whether I have prayed two rak'ahs or four." He said: Sayyiduna Abu al-Uryan narrated this hadith to me: One day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed and then went into the house. Among those present was a man who had long hands, whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had named Dhu al-Yadayn. Sayyiduna Dhu al-Yadayn said: "O Messenger of Allah! Has the prayer been shortened, or have you forgotten?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It has neither been shortened, nor have I forgotten." He said: "No, rather you have perhaps forgotten the prayer." The narrator says: So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went forward and led them in two rak'ahs, then gave salam, then said the takbir and prostrated like his usual prostrations or perhaps somewhat longer, then said the takbir and raised his head. The narrator Muhammad did not remember whether the narration mentions that he gave salam afterwards or not.
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led us in prayer, then went into his house. One of those present asked: "Has something been added to the prayer?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What has happened?" He said: "You led five rak'ahs." Then he took that man by the hand and came to the mosque, where there was a circle in which Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) were also present. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Is what Dhu al-Yadayn is saying correct?" The people said: "O Messenger of Allah! Yes." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned towards the Qiblah and then performed two prostrations. (Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: Part of it is mentioned in the Sahih, without the story of Sayyiduna Dhu al-Yadayn.
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir; its chain contains a narrator, Muhammad bin Aban al-Ju'fi, who is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Ibn Mas'adah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave salam after two rak'ahs in the Zuhr or perhaps the Asr prayer, and Sayyiduna Dhu al-Yadayn said: "Has the prayer been shortened, or have you forgotten?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "What is Dhu al-Yadayn saying?" The people said: "He is speaking the truth." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) completed the prayer by leading them in two more rak'ahs, and then, while he was sitting, he performed the two prostrations of forgetfulness after giving salam.
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and he said: Ibn Mas'adah's name is Abdullah. Its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih, except al-Tabarani's teacher Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Barrah.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not perform the prostration of forgetfulness on the day of the incident of Sayyiduna Dhu al-Yadayn.
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir; its chain contains a narrator, al-Umari, about whose use as evidence there is disagreement.

Sayyiduna Ubadah bin al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about a man who becomes forgetful in his prayer and does not know how much he has prayed. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "He should repeat his prayer and, while sitting, perform the two prostrations of forgetfulness."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in this way in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir; the narrator Ishaq did not hear from Sayyiduna Ubadah. And Allah knows best.

Sayyidah Aishah Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: I complained to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about forgetfulness in prayer, and he said: "When you pray and think that you have completed your prayer while you are in doubt, then, after ending the prayer in the tashahhud, prostrate twice while you are sitting, then recite the tashahhud again and then end the prayer."
(Allamah al-Haythami says:) Al-Tabarani recorded it in this way in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and he said: This narration from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) is transmitted only with this chain. I do not know whether it is like this in the original book or whether there is a defect in the manuscript, and Allah knows best. Its chain contains a narrator, Musa bin Mutayr, who is matruk al-hadith (abandoned in hadith), and he has been accused of fabricating hadith.

Abu Uthman al-Nahdi says: Sayyiduna Abu Musa al-Ash'ari and his companions set out from Makkah, and Sayyiduna Abu Musa led them in the Maghrib prayer and gave salam after two rak'ahs. Then he stood up, recited three verses of Surah al-Nisa', then went into bowing and prostration, and gave salam. He mentioned this from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) (that this is what should be done in such a situation).
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

It is reported about Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir that he stood up in his prayer at a time when he was required to sit. The people said: Subhan Allah, Subhan Allah. He understood what the people intended, but when he completed his prayer, he prostrated twice while he was sitting. (After finishing the prayer) he said: "I heard you saying Subhan Allah so that I would sit down, but that is not the Sunnah; the Sunnah is what I did."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir as a narration of al-Zuhri from Sayyiduna Uqbah, although al-Zuhri did not hear from him; its chain contains a narrator, Abdullah bin Salih, about whose use as evidence there is disagreement.

Sayyidah Aishah Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made an error before completing the prayer, so he performed the two prostrations of forgetfulness before giving salam, and he said: "Whoever makes an error before completing the prayer should perform the two prostrations of forgetfulness before giving salam, and when someone makes an error after the prayer is completed, he should perform the prostrations of forgetfulness after giving salam."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in this way in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat; its chain contains a narrator, Isa bin Maymun, about whose use as evidence there is disagreement, and most scholars graded him da'if (weak).

Muhammad bin Salih bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: I prayed behind Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) a prayer in which he made an error, so he prostrated after giving salam. (After finishing the prayer) he turned towards us and said: "I only did as I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) doing."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Saghir, and it contains majhul (unknown) narrators.