The Prophet said, "When the call for the prayer is pronounced, Satan takes to his heels, passing wind with noise, When the call for the prayer is finished, he comes back. And when the Iqama is pronounced, he again takes to his heels, and after its completion, he returns again to interfere between the (praying) person and his heart, saying to him. 'Remember this or that thing.' till the person forgets whether he has offered three or four rak`at: so if one forgets whether he has prayed three or four rak`at, he should perform two prostrations of Sahu (i.e. forgetfulness).

I asked Muhammad (bin Seereen) whether Tashah-hud should be recited after the two prostrations of Sahu. He replied, "It is not (mentioned) in Abu Huraira's narration . "

that he heard Allah's Apostle saying, "(Moses) said, 'Call me not to account for what I forget and be not hard upon me for my affair (with you)' (18.73) the first excuse of Moses was his forgetfulness."

Allah's Apostle said, "When the Adhan for the prayer is pronounced, then Satan takes to his heels passing wind so that he may not hear the Adhan and when the Mu'adh-dhin finishes, he comes back; and when the Iqama is pronounced he again takes to his heels and when it is finished, he again comes back and continues reminding the praying person of things that he used not to remember when not in prayer till he forgets how much he has prayed." Abu Salama bin `Abdur-Rahman said, "If anyone of you has such a thing (forgetting the number of rak`at he has prayed) he should perform two prostrations of Sahu (i.e. forgetfulness) while sitting." Abu Salama narrates this from Abu Huraira.

Allah's Apostle got up after the second rak`a of the Zuhr prayer without sitting in between (the second and the third rak`at). When he finished the prayer he performed two prostrations (of Sahu) and then finished the prayer with Taslim.

"Once the Prophet offered five rak`at in Zuhr prayer. He was asked, "Is there an increase in the prayer?" The Prophet said, "And what is it?" They said, "You have prayed five rak`at.' So he bent his legs and performed two prostrations (of Sahu).

Allah's Apostle said, "When anyone of you stands for the prayers, Satan comes and puts him in doubts till he forgets how many rak`at he has prayed. So if this happens to anyone of you, he should perform two prostrations of Sahu while sitting.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Said ibn al- Musayyab, and from Abu Salama ibn Abd ar-Rahman, the same as that.

Malik said, "Every forgetfulness which decreases from the prayer, prostrations for it come before the greeting, and every forgetfulness which is an addition to the prayer, prostrations for it come after the greeting."

The Prophet (saws) named the two prostrations of forgetfulness disgraceful for the devil.

Once Allah's Apostle led us in the Zuhr prayer and got up (after the prostrations of the second rak`a) although he should have sat (for the Tashahhud). So at the end of the prayer, he prostrated twice while sitting (prostrations of Sahu).

Once Allah's Apostle offered five rak`at in the Zuhr prayer, and somebody asked him whether there was some increase in the prayer. Allah's Apostle said, "What is that?" He said, "You have offered five rak`at." So Allah's Apostle performed two prostrations of Sahu after Taslim.

The Prophet led us in Zuhr prayer and prayer five rak`at. Somebody asked him whether the prayer had been increased." He (the Prophet ) said, "And what is that?" They (the people) replied, "You have prayed five rak`at." Then the Prophet offered two prostrations (of Sahu) after he had finished his prayer with the Taslim.

Ahmad and Ishaq said: "When a man stands up after two Rak'ah, then he performs the prostrations for As-Sahw before the Salam according to the Hadith of Ibn Buhainah."

'Abdullah bin Buhainah is 'Abdullah bin Malik [so he is] Ibn Buhainah (because) Malik is his father and Buhainah is his mother.

I was informed of this by Ishaq bin Mansur from 'Ali [bin 'Abdullah] bin Al-Madini.

Abu 'Eisa said: The people of knowledge differ over when a man is to perform the prostrations of As-Sahw, is it before the Salam or after it. Some of them thought that her performs them after the Salam. This is the view of Sufyan Ath-Thawri and the people of Al-Kufah. Some of them said he performs them before the Salam. This is the view of most of the Fuqaha among the people of Al-Madinah, like Yahya bin Sa'eed, Rabi'ah, and others. This is also the saying of Ash-Shafi'i.

Some of them said when he adds to the Salat, then it is after the Salam, and when he leaves something out, then before the Salam. This is the view of Malik bin Anas.

Ahmad said: "Whatever is reported from the Prophet (saws) about the prostrations from As-Sahw then it is acted upon in either case." He saw that when one stands after Rak'ah then according to the Hadith of Ibn Buhainah, he is to perform the prostrations before the Salam. When he prays five for Zuhr, then performs the prostrations after the Salam, and if he says Salam after two Rak'ahs of Zuhr or 'Asr then he performs the prostrations after the Salam. All of them are to be acted upon depending upon the case, and in the cases where nothing is reported from the Prophet (saws), then two prostrations are performed for As-Sahw before the Salam.

Ishaq said the same as Ahmad about all of this, with the exception that he said that for every case of As-Sahw that is not mentioned from the Prophet (saws), then if it is an addition to the Salat, then prostrations are performed after the Salam, and if it is something that was left out, then the prostrations are performed before the Salam.

The Prophet prayed (and the sub-narrator Ibrahim said, "I do not know whether he prayed more or less than usual"), and when he had finished the prayers he was asked, "O Allah's Apostle! Has there been any change in the prayers?" He said, "What is it?' The people said, "You have prayed so much and so much." So the Prophet bent his legs, faced the Qibla and performed two prostration's (of Sahu) and finished his prayers with Taslim (by turning his face to right and left saying: 'As-Salamu `Alaikum- Warahmat-ullah'). When he turned his face to us he said, "If there had been anything changed in the prayer, surely I would have informed you but I am a human being like you and liable to forget like you. So if I forget remind me and if anyone of you is doubtful about his prayer, he should follow what he thinks to be correct and complete his prayer accordingly and finish it and do two prostrations (of Sahu).

regarding: 'Allah will not call you to account for that which is unintentional in your oaths...' (2.225) This Verse was revealed concerning such oath formulas as: 'No, by Allah!' and 'Yes, by Allah!' something against his oath due to forgetfulness should he make expiation?). And the Statement of Allah: 'And there is no blame on you if you make a mistake therein.' (33.5) And Allah said:-- '(Moses said to Khadir): Call me not to account for what I forgot.' (18.73)

The Prophet led us in the Zuhr prayer, offering only two rak`at and then (finished it) with Taslim, and went to a piece of wood in front of the mosque and put his hand over it. Abu Bakr and `Umar were also present among the people on that day but dared not talk to him (about his unfinished prayer). And the hasty people went away, wondering. "Has the prayer been shortened" Among the people there was a man whom the Prophet used to call Dhul-Yadain (the longarmed). He said, "O Allah's Prophet! Have you forgotten or has the prayer been shortened?" The Prophet said, "Neither have I forgotten, nor has it been shortened." They (the people) said, "Surely, you have forgotten, O Allah's Apostle!" The Prophet said, Dhul-Yadain has told the truth." So the Prophet got up and offered other two rak`at and finished his prayer with Taslim. Then he said Takbir, performed a prostration of ordinary duration or longer, then he raised his head and said Takbir and performed another prostration of ordinary duration or longer and then raised his head and said Takbir (i.e. he performed the two prostrations of Sahu, i.e., forgetfulness).

Once Allah's Apostle led us in prayer, and after finishing the first two rak`at, got up (instead of sitting for at-Tahiyyat) and then carried on with the prayer. When he had finished his prayer, the people were waiting for him to say Taslim, but before saying Tasiim, he said Takbir and prostrated; then he raised his head, and saying Takbir, he prostrated (SAHU) and then raised his head and finished his prayer with Taslim.

The Prophet (saws) said: For each forgetfulness there are two prostrations after giving the salutation.

No one except Amr (ibn Uthman) mentioned the words "from his father" (in the chain AbdurRahman ibn Jubayr ibn Nufayr from Thawban).

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar, when questioned about forgetfulness in the prayer, said, "If you think that you have forgotten part of the prayer, then pray it."

Allah's Apostle finished his prayer after offerings two rak`at only. Dhul-Yaddain asked him whether the prayer had been reduced, or you had forgotten?" The Prophet said, "Is Dhul-Yaddain speaking the truth?" The people said, "Yes." Then Allah's Apostle stood up and performed another two rak`at and then finished prayer with Taslim, and then said the Takbir and performed a prostration similar to or longer than his ordinary prostrations; then he raised his head, said Takbir and prostrated and then raised his head (Sahu prostrations).

The Prophet led us in the `Asr or the Zuhr prayer and finished it with Taslim. Dhul-Yadain said to him, "O Allah's Apostle! Has the prayer been reduced?" The Prophet asked his companions in the affirmative. So Allah's Apostle I offered two more rak`at and then performed two prostrations (of Sahu). Sa`d said, "I saw that 'Urwa bin Az-Zubair had offered two rak`at in the Maghrib prayer and finished it with Taslim. He then talked (and when he was informed about it) he completed the rest of his prayer and performed two prostrations, and said, 'The Prophet prayed like this.' "

Allah's Apostle said, "Moses the Apostle of Allah," and then he narrated the whole story about him. Al-Khadir said to Moses, "Did not I tell you that you can have no patience with me." (18.72). Moses then violated the agreement for the first time because of forgetfulness, then Moses promised that if he asked Al-Khadir about anything, the latter would have the right to desert him. Moses abided by that condition and on the third occasion he intentionally asked Al-Khadir and caused that condition to be applied. The three occasions referred to above are referred to by the following Verses: "Call me not to account for forgetting And be not hard upon me." (18.73) "Then they met a boy and Khadir killed him." (18.74) "Then they proceeded and found a wall which was on the verge of falling and Khadir set it up straight." (18.77)

Allah's Apostle said, "When the call for prayer is made, Satan takes to his heels passing wind so that he may not hear the Adhan and when the call is finished he comes back, and when the Iqama is pronounced, Satan again takes to his heels, and when the Iqama is finished he comes back again and tries to interfere with the person and his thoughts and say, "Remember this and that (which he has not thought of before the prayer)", till the praying person forgets how much he has prayed. If anyone of you does not remember whether he has offered three or four rak`at then he should perform two prostrations of Sahu while sitting.