2/205. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1030 — Devil Confuses a Person in Prayer
Those Who Said He Should Complete (The Prayers) Based Upon His Strongest Judgement
Hadith About the Devil Confusing a Person in Prayer
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1030
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1030
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا قَامَ يُصَلِّي جَاءَهُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَلَبَسَ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى لاَ يَدْرِي كَمْ صَلَّى فَإِذَا وَجَدَ أَحَدُكُمْ ذَلِكَ فَلْيَسْجُدْ سَجْدَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَكَذَا رَوَاهُ ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ وَمَعْمَرٌ وَاللَّيْثُ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
When one of you stands up to pray, the devil comes to him and confuses him so that he does not know how much he has prayed. If any of you has such an experience, he should perform two prostrations while he is sitting. Abu Dawud said; This tradition has been narrated in a similar manner by Ibn ‘Uyainab, Ma’mar and al-Laith.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1030In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 641English translation : Book 2, Hadith 1025
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1030
This hadith explains why a worshipper may suddenly feel lost about the number of rak'ahs. The Prophet said that when one stands to pray, the devil comes and confuses him until he does not know how much he has prayed. If a person finds this happening, he should perform two prostrations while sitting. For people searching hadith about confusion in salah or sujood as-sahw for not knowing rak'ahs, this narration gives comfort and a practical action. It does not tell the person to become upset or stop the prayer. It points to two seated prostrations when that confusion happens. The focus is steady worship and correction.
What we learn from this hadith
- Confusion about the number of rak'ahs can happen during prayer.
- The hadith names the devil as a cause of this confusion.
- The given response is two prostrations while sitting.
