The Prophet ﷺ offered the noon prayer in time of danger. Some of the people formed a row behind him and others arrayed themselves against the enemy. He led them in two rak'ahs and then he uttered the salutation. Then those who were with him went away and took the position of their companions before the enemy. Then they came and prayed behind him. He led them in two rak'ahs and uttered the salutation. Thus the Messenger of Allah ﷺ offered four rak'ahs and his companions offered two rak'ahs. Al-Hasan used to give legal verdict on the authority of this tradition. Abu Dawud said: This will be so in the sunset prayer. The imam will offer six rak'ahs and the people three rak'ahs. Abu Dawud said: Yahya b. Abi Kathir narrated from Abu Salamah from Jabir from the Prophet ﷺ something similar. Sulaiman al-Yashkuri reported it from the Prophet ﷺ in like manner.  

صَلَّى النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فِي خَوْفٍ الظُّهْرَ فَصَفَّ بَعْضَهُمْ خَلْفَهُ وَبَعْضَهُمْ بِإِزَاءِ الْعَدُوِّ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ فَانْطَلَقَ الَّذِينَ صَلَّوْا مَعَهُ فَوَقَفُوا مَوْقِفَ أَصْحَابِهِمْ ثُمَّ جَاءَ أُولَئِكَ فَصَلَّوْا خَلْفَهُ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ فَكَانَتْ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرْبَعًا وَلأَصْحَابِهِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَبِذَلِكَ كَانَ يُفْتِي الْحَسَنُ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent me to Khalid b. Sufyan al-Hudhail. This was towards 'Uranah and 'Arafat. He (the Prophet) said: Go and kill him. I saw him when the time of the afternoon prayer had come. I said: I am afraid if a fight takes place between me and him (Khalid b. Sufyan), that might delay the prayer. I proceeded walking towards him while I was praying by making a sign. When I reached near him, he said to me: Who are you ? I replied: A man from the Arabs; it came to me that you were gathering (any army) for this man (i.e. Prophet). Hence I came to you in connection with this matter. He said: I am (engaged) in this (work). I then walked along with him for a while ; when it became convenient for me, I dominated him with my sword until he became cold (dead).  

بَعَثَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى خَالِدِ بْنِ سُفْيَانَ الْهُذَلِيِّ وَكَانَ نَحْوَ عُرَنَةَ وَعَرَفَاتٍ فَقَالَ اذْهَبْ فَاقْتُلْهُ قَالَ فَرَأَيْتُهُ وَحَضَرَتْ صَلاَةُ الْعَصْرِ فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي لأَخَافُ أَنْ يَكُونَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ مَا إِنْ أُؤَخِّرُ الصَّلاَةَ فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَمْشِي وَأَنَا أُصَلِّي أُومِئُ إِيمَاءً نَحْوَهُ فَلَمَّا دَنَوْتُ مِنْهُ قَالَ لِي مَنْ أَنْتَ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ تَجْمَعُ لِهَذَا الرَّجُلِ فَجِئْتُكَ فِي ذَاكَ قَالَ إِنِّي لَفِي ذَاكَ فَمَشَيْتُ مَعَهُ سَاعَةً حَتَّى إِذَا أَمْكَنَنِي عَلَوْتُهُ بِسَيْفِي حَتَّى بَرَدَ