Hadith 5185

(حديث مرفوع) حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى ، عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ حَفْصٍ ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ : " كُنْتُ مَعَ ابْنِ عُمَرَ فِي سَفَرٍ ، فَصَلَّى الظُّهْرَ وَالْعَصْرَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ، ثُمَّ قَامَ إِلَى طِنْفِسَةٍ له ، فَرَأَى نَاسًا يُسَبِّحُونَ بَعْدَهَا ، فَقَالَ : مَا يَصْنَعُ هَؤُلَاءِ ؟ قُلْتُ : يُسَبِّحُونَ ، قَالَ ، لَوْ كُنْتُ مُصَلِّيًا قَبْلَهَا أَوْ بَعْدَهَا لَأَتْمَمْتُهَا ، صَحِبْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَتَّى قُبِضَ ، فَكَانَ لَا يَزِيدُ عَلَى رَكْعَتَيْنِ ، وَأَبَا بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ حَتَّى قُبِضَ ، فَكَانَ لَا يَزِيدُ عَلَيْهِمَا ، وَعُمَرَ ، وَعُثْمَانَ كَذَلِكَ " .
Hafs bin Asim says that once I was traveling with Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), he performed the Zuhr and Asr prayers as two rak'ahs each, then stood on his mat and saw some people offering voluntary prayers after the obligatory prayer. He asked, "What are these people doing?" I told him that they are offering voluntary prayers. He said, "If I were to offer voluntary prayers, would I not complete my obligatory prayer (why would I shorten it)?" I had the honor of accompanying the Prophet (peace be upon him) until his passing, and he never offered more than two rak'ahs, and likewise with Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them).
Hadith Reference مسند احمد / مسند المكثرين من الصحابة / 5185
Hadith Grading حکم دارالسلام: إسناده صحيح ، خ : 1102 .