rakʿaks." Then he made two prostrations, after he had given the salutation.'—And in another tradition it runs, 'He said, "I am only a man like you. I forget as ye do. Therefore if I forget, do ye remind me; and if any one of you doubts in his prayers, then let him act on a correct opinion, and complete the prayers according to that. Then let him give the salutation, and then prostrate himself twice."'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.
It is related from Ibn Sírín from Abú Hurairah that he said, 'The Apostle of God prayed with us one of the afternoon prayers—Ibn Sírín said, "Abú Hurairah named the prayer, but I have forgotten it"—and he prayed with us two rakʿahs. Then he gave the salutation and stood up by a piece of wood placed in the mosque, and leaned upon it as if he were angry. And he placed his right hand upon his left, and put his fingers through each other, and placed his right cheek on the back of his left hand. And the people hastened out by the doors of the mosque, and said, "The prayers have been shortened." And amongst them were Abú Bakr and ʿOmar, but they feared to speak to the Prophet about it. And amongst the people was a man with long hands, called "The one of the two hands." He said, "O Apostle of God, didst thou forget, or have the prayers been shortened?" He replied, "I neither forgot, nor have the prayers been shortened." Then the Apostle of God asked (the people) "Is it as 'The one of the two hands' says?" They replied, "Yes." Then he went forward and prayed what he had omitted. Then he made the salutation and then said, "God is great." Then he prostrated as was his wont, or made the prostration longer. After that he raised his head and said, "God is great." Then he again said, "God is great," and prostrated as was his wont, or longer. Then he raised his head and said, "God is great." And perhaps they asked him (Ibn Sírín), "After that did he give the salutation?" He said, "I have been informed that ʿImrán bin Ḥusain said, 'After that he gave the salutation.'"'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.
On the Prostrations to be Made when Reciting
the Qurʾan
It is related from Ibn ʿAbbás that, 'The Prophet prostrated when reciting the chapter entitled "The Star," and the Muslims
