Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Muawiyah bin Hudaij says that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) once led the prayer and after saying salam, he left, although one rak'ah was still remaining. A man went after the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and submitted that you have forgotten one rak'ah of the prayer. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) returned and, upon entering the mosque, ordered Hazrat Bilal to call the iqamah. He called the iqamah and the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led the people in one rak'ah. When I told the people about this, they asked, "Do you know who that man was?" I said, "I do not know by name, but if I see him, I will recognize him." Then I saw a man and said, "This is the man." The people told me that this is Talha bin Ubaidullah.

Hazrat Abu Huraira narrates that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) led the prayer one day and, by mistake, ended the prayer after two rak'ahs. When he started to leave, Dhu al-Shimalayn approached and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Has the prayer been shortened or did you forget?" The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, "I neither shortened the prayer nor did I forget!" Dhu al-Shimalayn said, "By Him Who sent you with the truth, something has happened." The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked the people, "Is Dhu al-Yadayn (he was also called Dhu al-Shimalayn) speaking the truth?" When they confirmed it, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) led the people in two more rak'ahs.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, led the people in two rak'ahs of the Zuhr prayer, then said the salam. He was asked whether the prayer had been shortened. Upon this, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, performed another two rak'ahs and said the salam, then performed two prostrations of forgetfulness (sajda sahw).

Hazrat Ikrimah narrates that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) led the people in prayer of three rak‘ahs and then concluded the prayer with salam. So a man said, "Has a new command regarding prayer been revealed?" The Prophet asked, "Why, what happened?" The people said, "You have led only three rak‘ahs." The Prophet asked, "O Dhu’l-Yadayn! (he was also called Dhu’l-Shimalayn), did this really happen?" He replied, "Yes." Upon this, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) led one more rak‘ah in prayer and then performed two prostrations.

Hazrat Imran bin Husain says that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) led the Asr prayer and after offering three rak‘ahs, he said salam. Then he went into the blessed chamber. A man named Khirbaq stood up and said, "O Messenger of Allah! An unusual thing has happened today." The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) came out dragging his blessed cloak in anger and asked the people, "Is he telling the truth?" The people said, "Yes." Upon this, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) offered one rak‘ah, said salam, performed two prostrations of forgetfulness (sajda sahw), and then said salam again.

Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) led the people in two units of prayer and, by mistake, ended the prayer with salam. A man named Dhu al-Yadayn said, "Has the prayer been shortened?" The Prophet replied, "No." Then he led them in two more units of prayer, then ended with salam, then performed two prostrations, then ended with salam.

Hazrat Musayyib bin Rafi' narrates that Hazrat Zubair bin al-Awwam offered prayer, then spoke, and then completed the same prayer.

Hazrat Muhammad bin Yusuf narrates from his father that some prayers of Hazrat Ibn Zubair were missed. He gestured with his hand and asked me how many prayers had been missed. I said that I do not understand what you are saying. He asked, "How many prayers have you performed?" I replied that I have performed this many prayers. Then he performed the prayer and made two prostrations of forgetfulness (sajda sahw).

Hazrat Makhool says that Hazrat Abu Darda led the people in prayer in Syria. Hazrat Abu Darda was under a roof and the people were outside. Meanwhile, it started to rain and the people got wet. When Hazrat Abu Darda finished the prayer, he said to the people, "Was there not a sensible person among the people who could have said, 'O Imam! Shorten the prayer, it is raining upon us.'"

Hazrat Ikrimah narrates that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) led two rak‘ahs in the ‘Asr prayer. Then, after saying salam, he went home. Among his companions, a person named Dhu’l-Yadayn came to him and said, “O Messenger of Allah! Has the prayer been shortened?” The Prophet asked, “Why, what happened?” He replied, “You led only two rak‘ahs today.” The Prophet came out and asked the people, “What is Dhu’l-Yadayn saying?” The people said, “O Messenger of Allah! He is right.” The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) then led the people in two more rak‘ahs and performed two prostrations of forgetfulness (sajdah sahw).

Hazrat Sha'bi says that when you are afflicted by forgetfulness, then perform two rak'ahs, even if you have talked (in between).

Ibrahim says that Hazrat Urwah bin Zubair led two rak'ahs in the Maghrib prayer and then ended the prayer with salam, after which he spoke to the person sitting in front. That person said, "You have led only two rak'ahs." Hazrat Urwah then led one more rak'ah, ended the prayer with salam, and performed two prostrations of forgetfulness (sajda sahw). Then he said that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, had also done the same.