وَرَوَى عَلْقَمَةُ قَالَ: قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ: صَلَّى [لَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ لَهِ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ: زَادَ أَوْ نَقَصَ فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ وَفِيهِ: إِذَا شَكٍّ أَحَدُكُمُ فِي صَلَاتِهِ فَلْيَتَحَرَّ الصَّوَابَ فَلْيُتِمَّ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ يَسْجُدُ سَجْدَتَيْن – لفظ مُسلِم
Alqama narrated that Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, led us in prayer. Ibrahim said that you either increased or decreased in the prayer, then he narrated the hadith and also said: “When any of you doubts in his prayer, he should seek correctness and complete his prayer on that basis, then perform two prostrations of forgetfulness.”
Verification and authentication:
Bukhari: 401, Muslim: 572
Benefits:
➊ When a mistake occurs during prayer, how to perform the two prostrations of forgetfulness? These two prostrations will be before the salam if there is a deficiency in the prayer, and after the salam if there is an excess.
➋ Forgetting in prayer is not a sin; however, it is necessary to verify whether one has prayed three or four rak’ahs. Upon doubt, the doubt should be removed and certainty should be established on one point. For example, if one is certain that he has prayed three rak’ahs of Zuhr, he should pray the fourth rak’ah and perform two prostrations of forgetfulness before the salam, but he should not recite the tashahhud after the two prostrations. If he does, there is no harm.
➌ The expiation for forgetfulness or error is two prostrations; no other act can replace them, and only these two prostrations should be performed, not one. However, if someone performs one prostration of forgetfulness and forgets the second, there is no harm; the expiation for forgetfulness will be fulfilled.
➍ These two prostrations cause the humiliation of Satan.
➎ When a worshipper forgets or doubts, he should think carefully to clarify the matter; then if any rak’ah remains, he should pray it and perform two prostrations before the salam.
وَعِنْدَ أَبِي دَاوُدَ: فَلْيُتِمَّ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ لِيُسَلِّمْ، ثُمَّ لِيَسْجُدُ سَجْدَتَيْنِ وَرِجَالُهُ رِجَالُ الصَّحِيحَيْنِ
According to Abu Dawood, it is: “He should complete the prayer, then turn the salam, then perform two prostrations.” The narrators of this hadith are narrators of Bukhari and Muslim.
Verification and authentication:
This hadith is authentic. Abu Dawood: 1020.
وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ لِمُسْلِمٍ فَقَالَ: إِذَا زَادَ الرَّجُلُ أَوْ نَقَصَ فَلْيَسْجُدُ سَجْدَتَيْنِ
In a narration of Muslim, the Prophet said: “When a person adds or subtracts in the prayer, he should perform two prostrations.”
Verification and authentication:
Muslim: 572
Benefits:
➊ If there is an excess in the prayer, then two prostrations should be performed after the salam, and after these two prostrations, reciting the tashahhud is optional; he may recite it or not without harm.
➋ If a worshipper mistakenly adds to the prayer, it is not a sin; similarly, if there is a deficiency, it is not a sin. That is, forgetfulness is not blameworthy.
وَعَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: صَلَّى بِنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ إِحْدَى صَلَاتِي الْعَشِيِّ: إِمَّا الظُّهْرَ وَإِمَّا الْعَصْرَ، فَسَلَّمَ فِي رَكْعَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ أَنِّي جِدعًا فِي قِبْلَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَاسْتَنَدَ إِلَيْهَا مُغْضَبًا وَفِي الْقَوْمِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ، فَهَا يَا أَنْ يُكَلِّمَاهُ، وَخَرَجَ سَرْعَانَ النَّاسُ فَقَالُوا قُصِرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَقَامَ ذُو الْيَدَيْنِ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَقْصِرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ أَمْ نَسِيتَ؟ فَنَظَرَ النَّبِيُّ لَمْ يَمِينًا وَشِمَالًا فَقَالَ: مَا يَقُولُ ذُو الْيَدَيْنِ؟ فَقَالُوا: صَدَقَ لَمْ تُصَلِّ إِلَّا رَكْعَتَيْنِ، فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَسَلَّمَ، ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ ثُمَّ سَجَدَ ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ، فَرَفَعَ ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ وَسَجَدَ، ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ فَرَفَعَ قَالَ: وَأُخْبِرْتُ عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ الْحُصَيْنِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: وَسَلَّمَ – لَفْظُ مُسْلِمٍ
It is narrated from Muhammad bin Sirin that he narrated from Hazrat Buhaira (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, led us in Isha prayer or Zuhr or Asr, after two rak’ahs he turned the salam, then he sat leaning against the trunk of a tree in the mosque facing the Qiblah. He appeared upset. Among the people were Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), who hesitated to speak to him. People quickly left and started talking that the prayer was short. Dhul-Yadain stood up and said, “O Messenger of Allah, has the prayer been shortened or have you forgotten?” The Prophet looked right and left and said: “What does Dhul-Yadain say?” People said: “He speaks the truth; you have only prayed two rak’ahs.” Then he prayed two rak’ahs and turned the salam, then said Allahu Akbar and prostrated, then said Allahu Akbar and prostrated, then said Allahu Akbar and raised his head. The narrator said that I learned through Imran bin Husain that he turned the salam.
Verification and authentication:
وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ عِنْدَ الْبُخَارِيِّ فَقَالَ: أُنسِيتَ أَمْ قَصُرَتِ [الصَّلَاةُ؟ فَقَالَ: لَمُ أَنْسَ وَلَمْ تَقْصُرُ قَالَ: بَلَى قَدْ نَسِيتَ
In a narration of Bukhari Sharif, it is said: “Did you forget or was the prayer shortened?” He said: “Neither did I forget nor was the prayer shortened.” He said: “Yes, you forgot.”
Verification and authentication:
Bukhari 1229
وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ عِندَ أَبِي دَاوُدَ: فَاؤُمَؤُوا أَي نَعَمْ وَعِندَهُ فِي رِوَايَةٍ فِي قِصَّةِ ذِي الْيَدَيْنِ كَبَّرَ ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ وَسَجَدَ
In a narration of Abu Dawood, it is said: “He indicated yes.” In the same narration regarding Dhul-Yadain, it is said: “He said Allahu Akbar, then Allahu Akbar and prostrated.”
Verification and authentication:
This hadith is authentic. Abu Dawood: 1011, 1008
Benefits:
➊ Forgetting is not a defect in the position of prophethood and the high status of the Prophet. Similarly, no prophet knows the unseen, nor has he claimed to be the Knower of the Unseen. It is also understood that forgetting is a human trait, and every prophet and messenger was entirely human. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, experienced forgetfulness, and the Imams and the majority of scholars agree on this. Even the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, believed and observed this; there is no room for interpretation in this matter.
➋ The Imam of the mosque may sit leaning against a pillar or something else; there is no harm as long as he leads the prayer.
➌ Anger is a blessing from Allah. It reflects a person’s temperament. The use of anger should be appropriate; for example, if a person fights someone, he should control his anger. Controlling anger and not fighting is a great act. Conversely, if a person sees the honor of a Muslim being violated, or evil occurring, or the humiliation of Allah and His Messenger, and does not feel anger, then this is not the demand of passion. Rather, at such a time, anger and acting upon it, even if one is powerful, is permissible.
➍ It is necessary for followers to stand attentively behind the Imam. If the Imam forgets, they should remind him. If the followers also have doubts during this, after the Imam turns the salam, they may ask the Imam about the excess or deficiency in the prayer, but they should speak to the Imam with due respect because the Imam is a sacred person and must be respected. Followers should respect the Imam so much that they feel hesitant to speak to him, like Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar hesitated to speak to the Prophet, peace be upon him.
➎ If a follower reminds the Imam of his forgetfulness, the Imam should accept it graciously and not reprimand harshly, as this is against the dignity of the Imam. Rather, if someone points it out, for further emphasis, consultation with other worshippers should be sought, and then the forgetfulness should be immediately corrected. While it is necessary for worshippers to honor the Imam, it is very necessary for the Imam to regard his followers with respect and behave excellently.
➏ It is also correct to answer someone’s question by just nodding.
➐ Calling someone by a name other than their real name out of affection is permissible; however, calling someone by a reversed name to mock or hurt is religiously impermissible.
➑ If a prayer is four rak’ahs and the worshipper has prayed two rak’ahs and turned the salam, the ruling is that he should stand and pray the two rak’ahs and perform the prostration of forgetfulness. In this hadith, the prostration of forgetfulness is after the salam, and the takbir should also be said during the prostration of forgetfulness.
➒ The Imam’s forgetfulness is indeed forgetfulness, while the forgetfulness of followers does not affect the Imam.
وَفِي حَدَيْثٍ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ عِنْدَ مُسْلِمٍ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلَّى الْعَصْرَ فَسَلَّمَ عَنْ ثَلاثِ رَكَعَاتٍ، فَدَخَلَ مَنْزِلَهُ، فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ الْخِرُبَاقُ، وَكَانَ فِي يَدَيْهِ طُولٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَذَكَرَ لَهُ صَنِيعَهُ، فَخَرَجَ غَضْبَانَ يَجُرُّ رِدَاءَ هُ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى النَّاسِ فَقَالَ: أَصَدَقَ هَذَا؟ قَالُوا: نَعَمْ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَةً، ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ سَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ
In Muslim Sharif, there is a hadith narrated from Imran bin Husain: “The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, led the Asr prayer and after three rak’ahs turned the salam and entered his house. A man whose name was Kharbaq and who had long arms stood up and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah,’ then he described the action. Upon hearing this, the Prophet came out dragging his cloak in anger until he reached the people and said: ‘Is he telling the truth?’ They all said yes. Then he prayed two rak’ahs, turned the salam, then performed two prostrations, then turned the salam.”
Verification and authentication:
Muslim: 574
Benefits:
➊ The Prophet, peace be upon him, is proven to have committed forgetfulness in multiple places and ways; there is no disagreement on this among the majority of scholars, Companions, Imams of the Tabi’in, and learned scholars.
➋ This hadith mentions the prostration of forgetfulness after the salam.
➌ Using a waist wrapper (tehbend) is Sunnah. It is also Sunnah to keep it above the ankles. The hadith mentioning that the Prophet came out dragging his cloak is clarified by other hadiths that he always kept the cloak above the ankles. This does not mean that the waist wrapper cloak was dragging; rather, the cloak he had on top sometimes slipped down in haste.
➍ If forgetfulness occurs multiple times in the prayer, only two prostrations are required.
وَعِنْدَأَبِي دَاوُدَ عَنْ عِمْرَانَ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى بِهِمْ فَسَهَا، فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ تَشَهَّدَ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ
In Abu Dawood, it is narrated from Imran that the Prophet, peace be upon him, led them in prayer, then he forgot, performed two prostrations, then recited the tashahhud, then turned the salam.
Verification and authentication:
Abu Dawood: 1039, Tirmidhi: 395, Nasa’i: 62/3, Ibn Khuzaymah: 1062, Ibn Hibban: 2660, Mustadrak Hakim: 1/323
Benefits:
➊ Sitting and reciting Tashahhud after Salam and after performing Sajdah Sahw is a voluntary act; it is not obligatory.
➋ If a mistake occurs in the acts of Allah Almighty, one should seek forgiveness from Allah, and the best way to apologize and seek pardon is through Sajdah, which is a quick means of nearness to Allah. The lesson here is that mistakes are rectified through prostration. If a person falls short in the rights of another person, then they should also apologize to each other and seek forgiveness from Allah by prostrating.
وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يُحَيِّنَةَ الْأَرْدِي حَلِيفٍ بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَامَ فِي صَلَاةِ الظُّهْرِ وَعَلَيْهِ جُلُوسٌ، فَلَمَّا أَتَمَّ صَلَاتَهُ سَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ: يُكَبِّرُ فِي كُلِّ سَجْدَةٍ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ وَسَجَدَهُمَا النَّاسُ مَعَهُ مَكَانَ مَا نَسِيَ مِنَ الْجُلُوسِ
لَفْظُ رِوَايَةِ مَالِكَ عِندَ الْبُخَارِيِّ –
It is narrated from Abdullah bin Bujaina Azdi, who was an ally of Bani Abdul Muttalib, that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) led the Zuhr prayer and forgot to sit once. When the prayer was completed, he performed two prostrations before turning Salam, sitting down and saying Takbeer in each Sajdah, and the people also performed Sajdah with him, as a compensation for those who forgot to sit.
The wording of the narration is from Malik in Bukhari.
Verification and authentication:
Bukhari: 1230, Muslim: 570.
Benefits:
➊ After the two Rak’ahs, if there is a mistake in the Tashahhud, two prostrations of forgetfulness (Sajdat al-Sahw) must be performed, and this is sufficient. Similarly, it has also been established that performing Sajdat al-Sahw before turning the Salam is permissible. Sajdat is a substitute for a mistake, as in this Hadith, two Sajdat al-Sahw were sufficient for the first Tashahhud. There was no need for a Qada (make-up) of the Tashahhud.
وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ هُوَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: أَنَّ النَّبِيُّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى الظُّهُرَ خَمْسًا فَسَجَدَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ: أَزِيدَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ؟ فَقَالَ: وَمَا ذَاكَ؟ قَالُوا: صَلَّيْتَ خَمْسًا فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ مَا سَلَّمَ The wording of Al-Bukhari
Narrated Abdullah bin Mas’ud (RA): The Prophet (PBUH) prayed Zuhr with five Rak’ahs, then he prostrated. He was asked, “What is this? Has the prayer been increased?” He said, “What is the matter?” They said, “You have prayed five Rak’ahs.” He performed two prostrations after the Salam.
Verification and authentication:
Bukhari: 1117, Muslim: 572
وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ عِنْدَ مُسْلِمٍ وَفِيهَا قِصَّةٌ: فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ
In a narration of Muslim Sharif, it is stated: “He (PBUH) performed two prostrations and then turned the Salam.”
Verification and authentication:
Muslim: 572
Benefits:
➊ If there is an addition in the prayer, the prostration of forgetfulness (sajdah sahw) will be performed after turning the salam, and that too after turning salam on both sides. Performing sajdah sahw after turning salam on only one side is not according to Shariah. This applies when it is done knowingly; similarly, changing the place is also not permissible.
➋ The sajdah sahw will be performed under the leadership of the same Imam who led the congregation.
بَابُ صَلَاةِ الْمَرِيضِ
