2/203. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1022 — The Prophet Forgot in Prayer and Corrected It
If One Prays Five Rak'ah
Hadith About Forgetfulness in Prayer and Sujood as-Sahw
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1022
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1022
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، أَخْبَرَنَا جَرِيرٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا يُوسُفُ بْنُ مُوسَى، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، - وَهَذَا حَدِيثُ يُوسُفَ - عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَمْسًا فَلَمَّا انْفَتَلَ تَوَشْوَشَ الْقَوْمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فَقَالَ " مَا شَأْنُكُمْ " . قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَلْ زِيدَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ قَالَ " لاَ " . قَالُوا فَإِنَّكَ صَلَّيْتَ خَمْسًا . فَانْفَتَلَ فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ قَالَ " إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ أَنْسَى كَمَا تَنْسَوْنَ " .
‘Abd Allah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1022In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 633English translation : Book 2, Hadith 1017
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1022
This hadith gives a very human lesson about forgetfulness in prayer. The Messenger of Allah led the people in five rak'ahs. After the prayer, the people spoke among themselves, and he asked what had happened. They asked whether the prayer had been increased. When they told him that he had prayed five, he turned and made two prostrations, then gave salutation. He also said that he was a human being and forgot as they forgot. For readers searching for sujood as-sahw hadith or hadith about forgetting rak'ahs, the main message is simple: a prayer mistake can be corrected. The report teaches calm correction and honesty when an error is noticed.
What we learn from this hadith
- Even a prayer mistake should be handled calmly and clearly.
- The Prophet corrected the extra rak'ah with two prostrations.
- The text teaches that forgetfulness can happen and should be addressed properly.
