Sunan Abu Dawud #1029
Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat)
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا النُّفَيْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ خُصَيْفٍ، عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ
" إِذَا كُنْتَ فِي صَلاَةٍ فَشَكَكْتَ فِي ثَلاَثٍ أَوْ أَرْبَعٍ وَأَكْبَرُ ظَنِّكَ عَلَى أَرْبَعٍ تَشَهَّدْتَ ثُمَّ سَجَدْتَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ وَأَنْتَ جَالِسٌ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُسَلِّمَ ثُمَّ تَشَهَّدْتَ أَيْضًا ثُمَّ تُسَلِّمُ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ رَوَاهُ عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ عَنْ خُصَيْفٍ وَلَمْ يَرْفَعْهُ وَوَافَقَ عَبْدَ الْوَاحِدِ أَيْضًا سُفْيَانُ وَشَرِيكٌ وَإِسْرَائِيلُ وَاخْتَلَفُوا فِي الْكَلاَمِ فِي مَتْنِ الْحَدِيثِ وَلَمْ يُسْنِدُوهُ .
When you offer the prayer, and you are in doubt about the number of rak'ahs whether offered three or four, and you have prayed four rak'ahs in all probability in your opinion, you should recite tashahhud and make two prostrations while you are sitting before giving the salutation. afterwards you should recite the tashahhud and give the salutation again.
Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by 'Abd al-Wahid from Khusaif, but he did not report it as a statement of the Prophet (ﷺ). The version of 'Abd al-Wahid has been corroborated by Sufyan, Sharik, and Isra'il. They differed amongst themselves about the text of the tradition and they did not narrate it with the continuous chain up to the Prophet (ﷺ).
Narrated by AbuUbaydah reported, on the authority of his father Abdullah (ibn Mas'ud), the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:
Context
This hadith addresses a situation during prayer where one may doubt the number of rak'ahs performed. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) instructs that if one is uncertain, they should assume the greater number and perform two prostrations before concluding the prayer. This guidance emphasizes the importance of maintaining focus and clarity in worship.
Modern Application
In daily salah, this principle can help individuals manage doubts that arise during prayer. For instance, if someone is unsure whether they completed the correct number of rak'ahs, they can confidently follow this guidance to ensure their prayer remains valid and complete.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prayer and Prostration (Sujud) because it provides a practical solution for addressing uncertainty in prayer through additional prostrations.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ
An-Nisaa (The Women)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
2 ayahs
فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ قِيَٰمًۭا وَقُعُودًۭا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِكُمْ ۚ فَإِذَا ٱطْمَأْنَنتُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَٰبًۭا مَّوْقُوتًۭا
And when you have completed the prayer, remember Allah standing, sitting, or [lying] on your sides. But when you become secure, re-establish [regular] prayer. Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.
وَإِذَا كُنتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَلْتَقُمْ طَآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنْهُم مَّعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوٓا۟ أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ فَإِذَا سَجَدُوا۟ فَلْيَكُونُوا۟ مِن وَرَآئِكُمْ وَلْتَأْتِ طَآئِفَةٌ أُخْرَىٰ لَمْ يُصَلُّوا۟ فَلْيُصَلُّوا۟ مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا۟ حِذْرَهُمْ وَأَسْلِحَتَهُمْ ۗ وَدَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَوْ تَغْفُلُونَ عَنْ أَسْلِحَتِكُمْ وَأَمْتِعَتِكُمْ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيْكُم مَّيْلَةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ ۚ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِن كَانَ بِكُمْ أَذًۭى مِّن مَّطَرٍ أَوْ كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَن تَضَعُوٓا۟ أَسْلِحَتَكُمْ ۖ وَخُذُوا۟ حِذْرَكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلْكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابًۭا مُّهِينًۭا
And when you are among them and lead them in prayer, let a group of them stand [in prayer] with you and let them carry their arms. And when they have prostrated, let them be [in position] behind you and have the other group come forward which has not [yet] prayed and let them pray with you, taking precaution and carrying their arms. Those who disbelieve wish that you would neglect your weapons and your baggage so they could come down upon you in one [single] attack. But there is no blame upon you, if you are troubled by rain or are ill, for putting down your arms, but take precaution. Indeed, Allah has prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment.
سُورَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Al-Israa (The Night Journey)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِدُلُوكِ ٱلشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَقُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًۭا
Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed.
سُورَةُ المَائـِدَةِ
Al-Maaida (The Table)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغْسِلُوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَرَافِقِ وَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًۭا فَٱطَّهَّرُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَآءَ أَحَدٌۭ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لَٰمَسْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا۟ مَآءًۭ فَتَيَمَّمُوا۟ صَعِيدًۭا طَيِّبًۭا فَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍۢ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Al-Baqara (The Cow)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱرْكَعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلرَّٰكِعِينَ
And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience].
Common Words
164 total125 unique21 repeated
ٱلصلوة7x
إن4x
إلى4x
أو4x
من4x
عليكم4x
فإذا3x
ٱلله3x
كنتم3x
على2x
ٱلفجر2x
كان2x
ٱلذين2x
وأيديكم2x
وإن2x
مرضى2x
يريد2x
طائفة2x
معك2x
وليأخذوا2x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #1029 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat). It is graded Sahih and narrated by AbuUbaydah reported, on the authority of his father Abdullah (ibn Mas'ud), the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:.