Abu Hurairah reported; The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم offered the noon prayer and he gave the salutation at the end of two rakahs. He was asked. Has the prayer been shortened ? then he offered two rakahs of the prayer and made two prostrations (at the end of it).

Abu Hurairah said: The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم led us in one of the evening (Asha) prayers, noon or afternoon. He led us in two Rak’ahs and gave the salutation. He then got up going towards a piece of wood which was placed in the front part of the mosque. He placed his hands upon it, one on the other, looking from his face as if he were angry. The people came out hastily saying: the prayer has been shortened. Abu Bakr and Umar were among the people, but they were too afraid to speak to him. A man whom the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم would call“ the possessor of arms”(Dhu al-Yadain) stood up (asking him): Have you forgotten. The Messenger of Allah, or has the prayer been shortened? He said: I have neither forgotten nor has it been shortened. He said: Messenger of Allah, you have forgotten. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم turned towards the people and asked: did the possessor of arms speak the truth? They made a sign, that is, yes. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم returned to his place and prayed the remaining two Rak’ahs, then gave the salutation; he then uttered the takbir and prostrated himself as usual or prolonged. He then raised his head and uttered the takbir; then he uttered the takbir and made prostration as usual or made longer (prostration). Then he raised his head his and uttered the takbir (Allah is most great). The narrator Muhammad was asked: Did he give the salutation (while prostrating) dueto forgetfulness? He said: I do not remember it from Abu Hurairah. But we Are sure that Imran bin Husain (in his version) said; he then gave the salutation.

Narrated Abu Hurairah: When the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم finished two rak'ahs of an obligatory prayer, a man asked him: Messenger of Allah, has the prayer been shortened, or have you forgotten? he replied: I did not do all that. The people said: Messenger of Allah, you did that. Therefore, he offered another two rak'ahs or prayer and did not make two prostrations due to forgetfulness. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been narrated by Dawud al-Hussain from Abu Sufyan, freed slave of Ibn Abi Ahmad on the authority of Abu Hurairah from the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم . This version goes: He then made two prostrations while he was sitting after the salutation.

Imran bin Husain said: The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم gave the salutation at the end of three rakahs in the afternoon prayer, then went into the apartment (according to the version of maslamah). A man called al-Khirbaq who had long arms got up and said ; has the prayer been shortened, Messenger of Allah ? He came out angrily trailing his cloak and said: Is he telling the truth ? they said; Yes. He then prayed that rakah, then gave the salutation, then made two prostrations, then gave the salutation.

Abdullah (bin Masud) said: The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم prayed five rak’ahs in the noon prayer. He was asked whether the prayer had been extended. He asked what they meant by that. The people said: you prayed five rak’ahs. Then he made two prostrations after having given the salutation.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Masud: The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم offered prayer. The version of the narrator Ibrahim goes: I do not know whether he increased or decreased (the rak'ahs of prayer). When he gave the salutation, he was asked: Has something new happened in the prayer, Messenger of Allah? He said: What is it? They said: You prayed so many and so many (rak'ahs). He then relented his foot and faced the Qiblah and made two prostrations. He then gave the salutation. When he turned away (finished the prayer), he turned his face to us and said: Had anything new happened in prayer, I would have informed you. I am only a human being and I forget just as you do; so when I forget, remind me, and when any of you is in doubt about his prayer he should aim at what is correct, and complete his prayer in that respect, then give the salutation and afterwards made two prostrations.

Abdullah (bin Masud) said; The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم led us in five rak’ahs of prayer. When he turned away (i, e, finished his prayer), the people whispered among themselves. He asked; what is the matter with you ? They said: Messenger of Allah, has (the number of the rak’ahs of) the prayer been increased ? he said: No. they said; you have offered five rak’ahs of prayer. He then turned away and performed two prostrations, and afterwards gave the salutation. He then said: I am only a human being, I forget, as you forget.

Narrated Muawiyah ibn Khudayj: One day the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم prayed and gave the salutation while a rak'ah of the prayer remained to be offered. A man went to him and said: You forgot to offer one rak'ah of prayer. Then he returned and entered the mosque and ordered Bilal (to utter the Iqamah). He uttered the Iqamah for prayer. He then led the people in one rak'ah of prayer. I stated it to the people. They asked me: Do you know who he was? I said: No, but I can recognise him if I see him. Then the man passed by me, I said: It is he. The people said: This is Talhah ibn Ubaydullah.

Ata bin Yasar said that Abu Saeed Al-Khudri reported the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم as saying: when one of you is in doubt about his prayer (i. e, how much he has prayed), he should throw away his doubt and base his prayer on what he is sure of. When he is sure about the completion of his prayer, he should make two prostrations (at the end of the prayer). If the prayer is complete, the additional rak’ah and the two prostrations will be supererogatory prayer. If the prayer is incomplete, the additional rak’ahs will compensate it, and the two prostrations will be a disgrace for the devil.

Narrated Ata ibn Yasar: The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: When one of you is in doubt about his prayer, and does not know how much he has prayed, three or four rak'ahs, he should pray one (additional) rak'ah and make two prostrations while sitting before giving the salutation. If the (additional) rak'ah which he prayed is the fifth one, he will make it an even number by these two prostrations. If it is the fourth one, the two prostrations will be a disgrace for the devil.

This traditions has also been narrated by Muhammad bin Muslim al-Zuhr through a different chain of transmitters and to the same effect. This version adds; He should perform two prostrations before giving the salutation.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Jafar: The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: Anyone who is in doubt in his prayer should make two prostrations after giving the salutation.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Buhaynah: The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم led us in prayer praying two rak'ahs. When he stood up and did not sit (at the end of two rak'ahs) the people stood up along with him. When he finished the prayer and we expect him to give the salutation, he said: "Allah is most great. " While sitting and made two prostrations before giving the salutation. Then he gave it.

Narrated Al-Mughirah ibn Shubah: The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: When an imam stands up at the end of two rak'ahs, if he remembers before standing straight up, he should sit down, but if he stands straight up, he must not sit down, but perform the two prostrations of forgetfulness. Abu Dawud said: I have not narrated in this book of mine any hadith from Jabir Al-Ju'fi (one of the narrators) except this one.