Sunan an-Nasa'i #1246
The Book of Forgetfulness (In Prayer)
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، قَالَ كَتَبَ إِلَىَّ مَنْصُورٌ وَقَرَأْتُهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَمِعْتُهُ يُحَدِّثُ رَجُلاً عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلَّى صَلاَةَ الظُّهْرِ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِوَجْهِهِ فَقَالُوا أَحَدَثَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ حَدَثٌ قَالَ " وَمَا ذَاكَ " . فَأَخْبَرُوهُ بِصَنِيعِهِ فَثَنَى رِجْلَهُ وَاسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِوَجْهِهِ فَقَالَ " إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ أَنْسَى كَمَا تَنْسَوْنَ فَإِذَا نَسِيتُ فَذَكِّرُونِي " . وَقَالَ " لَوْ كَانَ حَدَثَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ حَدَثٌ أَنْبَأْتُكُمْ بِهِ " . وَقَالَ " إِذَا أَوْهَمَ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلاَتِهِ فَلْيَتَحَرَّ أَقْرَبَ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الصَّوَابِ ثُمَّ لْيُتِمَّ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ يَسْجُدْ سَجْدَتَيْنِ " .
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed Zuhr then he turned to face them and they said: 'Has there been some change concerning the prayer?' He said: 'Why are you asking?' They told him what he had done, so he turned back toward the Qiblah and prostrated twice. Then he said the salam and turned to face them and said: 'I am only human, I forget as you forget, so if I forget, then remind me.' And he said: 'If there had been some change concerning the prayer I would have told you.' And he said: 'If one of you is not sure about his prayer, let him estimate what is closest to what is correct, then let him complete it on that basis, then prostrate twice.'
Narrated by It was narrated from 'Abdullah that:
Context
This hadith recounts an incident where the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) forgot a part of his prayer and was reminded by his companions. He demonstrated humility by acknowledging his forgetfulness and provided guidance on how to correct it, emphasizing the human aspect of prayer and the importance of community support.
Modern Application
In our daily salah, we may sometimes doubt our actions or forget parts of the prayer. This hadith encourages us to seek reminders from others and to approach our prayers with humility, knowing that mistakes can happen.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prayer and Prophetic Conduct because it illustrates the Prophet's (ﷺ) approach to handling forgetfulness in prayer and the importance of community support.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Al-Baqara (The Cow)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
4 ayahs
قَدْ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۖ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةًۭ تَرْضَىٰهَا ۚ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُۥ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ
We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces toward it [in prayer]. Indeed, those who have been given the Scripture well know that it is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do.
وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۖ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
So from wherever you go out [for prayer, O Muhammad] turn your face toward al- Masjid al-Haram, and indeed, it is the truth from your Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.
۞ سَيَقُولُ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَا وَلَّىٰهُمْ عَن قِبْلَتِهِمُ ٱلَّتِى كَانُوا۟ عَلَيْهَا ۚ قُل لِّلَّهِ ٱلْمَشْرِقُ وَٱلْمَغْرِبُ ۚ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ
The foolish among the people will say, "What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?" Say, "To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path."
وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُۥ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَٱخْشَوْنِى وَلِأُتِمَّ نِعْمَتِى عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
And from wherever you go out [for prayer], turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] may be, turn your faces toward it in order that the people will not have any argument against you, except for those of them who commit wrong; so fear them not but fear Me. And [it is] so I may complete My favor upon you and that you may be guided.
سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ
An-Nisaa (The Women)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
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.
Common Words
123 total89 unique23 repeated
وجهك4x
من4x
فول3x
شطر3x
ٱلمسجد3x
ٱلحرام3x
ما3x
ٱلله3x
ٱلصلوة3x
وحيث2x
كنتم2x
فولوا2x
وجوهكم2x
شطره2x
ٱلذين2x
وما2x
بغفل2x
عما2x
فإذا2x
ومن2x
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About Sunan an-Nasa'i
This hadith is #1246 from Sunan an-Nasa'i, in the Book of The Book of Forgetfulness (In Prayer). It is graded Sahih and narrated by It was narrated from 'Abdullah that:.