Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad:11689Yūnus b. Muḥammad > Fulayḥ > Zayd b. Aslam > ʿAṭāʾ b. Yasār > Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "If one of you has doubts about his prayer and does not know how many units he has prayed, then he should rely on certainty until he is certain that he has completed it. Then, he should prostrate for two extra prostrations before saying the tasleem (greeting). For if his prayer was odd (witr), it will become even (shaf') by doing so, and if it was already even, then that would be a rebuke to the devil."  

أحمد:١١٦٨٩حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ حَدَّثَنَا فُلَيْحٌ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِذَا شَكَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِ فَلَمْ يَدْرِ كَمْ صَلَّى فَلْيَبْنِ عَلَى الْيَقِينِ حَتَّى إِذَا اسْتَيْقَنَ أَنْ قَدْ أَتَمَّ فَلْيَسْجُدْ سَجْدَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ فَإِنَّهُ إِنْكَانَتْ صَلَاتُهُ وِتْرًا صَارَتْ شَفْعًا وَإِنْ كَانَتْ شَفْعًا كَانَ ذَلِكَ تَرْغِيمًا لِلشَّيْطَانِ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Muslim, Nasāʾī, Abū Dāwūd, Mālik, Aḥmad, Bayhaqī, Suyūṭī
muslim:571aMuḥammad b. Aḥmad b. Abū Khalaf > Mūsá b. Dāwud > Sulaymān b. Bilāl > Zayd b. Aslam > ʿAṭāʾ b. Yasār > Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: When any one of you is in doubt about his prayer and he does Dot know how much he has prayed, three or four (rak'ahs). he should cast aside his doubt and base his prayer on what he is sure of. then perform two prostrations before giving salutations. If he has prayed five rak'ahs, they will make his prayer an even number for him, and if he has prayed exactly four, they will be humiliation for the devil.  

مسلم:٥٧١aوَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي خَلَفٍ حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ دَاوُدَ حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا شَكَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلاَتِهِ فَلَمْ يَدْرِ كَمْ صَلَّى ثَلاَثًا أَمْ أَرْبَعًا فَلْيَطْرَحِ الشَّكَّ وَلْيَبْنِ عَلَى مَا اسْتَيْقَنَ ثُمَّ يَسْجُدُ سَجْدَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ فَإِنْ كَانَ صَلَّى خَمْسًا شَفَعْنَ لَهُ صَلاَتَهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ صَلَّى إِتْمَامًا لأَرْبَعٍ كَانَتَا تَرْغِيمًا لِلشَّيْطَانِ  

nasai:1238Yaḥyá b. Ḥabīb b. ʿArabī > Khālid > Ibn ʿAjlān > Zayd b. Aslam > ʿAṭāʾ b. Yasār > Abū Saʿīd

The Prophet ﷺ said: "If one of you is not sure about his prayer, let him forget about what he is unsure of and complete his prayer on the basis of what he is sure of. When he is sure that he has completed it, let him prostrate twice while he is sitting. Then if he has prayed five (rak'ahs), they (the two prostrations) will make his prayer even-numbered, and if he had prayed four, they will annoy and humiliate the shaitan."  

النسائي:١٢٣٨أَخْبَرَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ حَبِيبِ بْنِ عَرَبِيٍّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلاَنَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ إِذَا شَكَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلاَتِهِ فَلْيُلْغِ الشَّكَّ وَلْيَبْنِ عَلَى الْيَقِينِ فَإِذَا اسْتَيْقَنَ بِالتَّمَامِ فَلْيَسْجُدْ سَجْدَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ فَإِنْ كَانَ صَلَّى خَمْسًا شَفَعَتَا لَهُ صَلاَتَهُ وَإِنْ صَلَّى أَرْبَعًا كَانَتَا تَرْغِيمًا لِلشَّيْطَانِ  

abudawud:1026al-Qaʿnabī > Mālik > Zayd b. Aslam > ʿAṭāʾ b. Yasār

The Prophet ﷺ said: When one of you is in doubt about his prayer, and does not know how much he has prayed, three or four rak'ahs, he should pray one (additional) rak'ah and make two prostrations while sitting before giving the salutation. If the (additional) rak'ah which he prayed is the fifth one, he will make it an even number by these two prostrations. If it is the fourth one, the two prostrations will be a disgrace for the devil.  

أبو داود:١٠٢٦حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِذَا شَكَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلاَتِهِ فَلاَ يَدْرِي كَمْ صَلَّى ثَلاَثًا أَوْ أَرْبَعًا فَلْيُصَلِّ رَكْعَةً وَيَسْجُدْ سَجْدَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ قَبْلَ التَّسْلِيمِ فَإِنْ كَانَتِ الرَّكْعَةُ الَّتِي صَلَّى خَامِسَةً شَفَعَهَا بِهَاتَيْنِ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ رَابِعَةً فَالسَّجْدَتَانِ تَرْغِيمٌ لِلشَّيْطَانِ  

malik:3-66Yaḥyá > Mālik > Zayd b. Aslam > ʿAṭāʾ b. Yasār

Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam from Ata ibn Yasar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "If you are uncertain in the prayer and do not know whether you have prayed three or four rakas, then pray a raka and make two prostrations from the sitting position before the taslim. If the raka that you prayed was the fifth, then you make it even by these two sajdas, and if it was the fourth, then the two prostrations spite Shaytan."  

مالك:٣-٦٦حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِذَا شَكَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلاَتِهِ فَلَمْ يَدْرِ كَمْ صَلَّى أَثَلاَثًا أَمْ أَرْبَعًا فَلْيُصَلِّي رَكْعَةً وَلْيَسْجُدْ سَجْدَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ قَبْلَ التَّسْلِيمِ فَإِنْ كَانَتِ الرَّكْعَةُ الَّتِي صَلَّى خَامِسَةً شَفَعَهَا بِهَاتَيْنِ السَّجْدَتَيْنِ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ رَابِعَةً فَالسَّجْدَتَانِ تَرْغِيمٌ لِلشَّيْطَانِ  

ahmad:11782Mūsá b. Dāwud > Sulaymān b. Bilāl > Zayd b. Aslam > ʿAṭāʾ b. Yasār > Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "If anyone of you has doubt in their prayer and does not know whether they prayed three or four [rak'ahs], they should disregard their doubt and proceed according to what they are certain about. Then they should perform two prostrations before concluding their Salah. Because if they prayed five [rak'ahs], it will make up for their prayer as a whole." Musa said once, "If they prayed five [rak'ahs], they would make up for their prayer. And if they completed four [rak'ahs], they would prevent Satan from harm."  

أحمد:١١٧٨٢حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ دَاوُدَ حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلَالٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا شَكَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِ فَلَمْ يَدْرِ كَمْ صَلَّى ثَلَاثًا أَمْ أَرْبَعًا فَلْيَطْرَحِ الشَّكَّ وَلْيَبْنِ عَلَى مَا اسْتَيْقَنَ ثُمَّ يَسْجُدْ سَجْدَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَفَإِنْ كَانَ صَلَّى خَمْسًا كَانَتْ شَفْعًا لِصَلَاتِهِ قَالَ مُوسَى مَرَّةً فَإِنْ كَانَ صَلَّى خَمْسًا شَفَعْنَ لَهُ صَلَاتَهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ صَلَّى إِتْمَامَ أَرْبَعٍ كَانَتَا تَرْغِيمًا لِلشَّيْطَانِ  

bayhaqi:3800Abū Zakariyyā Yaḥyá b. Ibrāhīm b. Muḥammad b. Yaḥyá al-Muzakkī > Ḥamzah b. al-ʿAbbās b. al-Faḍl b. al-Ḥārith al-Bayhaqī > ʿAbbās b. Muḥammad b. Ḥātim al-Dūrī > Mūsá b. Dāwud > Sulaymān b. Bilāl > Zayd b. Aslam > ʿAṭāʾ b. Yasār > Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: When any one of you is in doubt about his prayer and he does Dot know how much he has prayed, three or four (rak'ahs). he should cast aside his doubt and base his prayer on what he is sure of. then perform two prostrations before giving salutations. If he has prayed five rak'ahs, they will make his prayer an even number for him, and if he has prayed exactly four, they will be humiliation for the devil. (Using translation from Muslim 571a)   

البيهقي:٣٨٠٠أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو زَكَرِيَّا يَحْيَى بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى الْمُزَكِّي أنبأ حَمْزَةُ بْنُ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ بِبَغْدَادَ ثنا عَبَّاسُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ الدُّورِيُّ ثنا مُوسَى بْنُ دَاوُدَ ثنا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلَالٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا شَكَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِ فَلَمْ يَدْرِ كَمْ صَلَّى ثَلَاثًا أَمْ أَرْبَعًا فَلْيَطْرَحِ الشَّكَّ وَلْيَبْنِ عَلَى مَا اسْتَيْقَنَ وَلْيَسْجُدْ سَجْدَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ فَإِنْ كَانَ هِيَ خَمْسًا كَانَتَا شَفْعًا وَإِنْ صَلَّى تَمَامَ الْأَرْبَعِ كَانَتَا تَرْغِيمًا لِلشَّيْطَانِ  

رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي خَلَفٍ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ دَاوُدَ
bayhaqi:3826Abū Ḥāzim ʿUmar b. Aḥmad al-Ḥāfiẓ > Abū Aḥmad al-Ḥāfiẓ > Abū al-Ḥasan Aḥmad b. ʿUmayr b. Yūsuf al-Dimashqī Bidimashq > Muḥammad b. And Zīr / Ibn al-Ḥakam al-Sulamī > al-Walīd b. Muslim > Wataʾawwal Mālik b. Anas Mā > Zayd b. Aslam > ʿAṭāʾ b. Yasār > Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "If any of you have doubt about his prayer, he should not know whether he prayed three or four units (rak'ahs). He should dismiss the doubt and be certain. Then he should perform two prostrations before making the tasleem (saying salaam at the end of the prayer). If it is an odd number of units, he should make it an intercessory one through these two prostrations, and if it is an even number, these two prostrations become a means of rebuke for Satan."  

البيهقي:٣٨٢٦أَخْبَرَنَاهُ أَبُو حَازِمٍ عُمَرُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ الْحَافِظُ أنبأ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ الْحَافِظُ أنبأ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عُمَيْرِ بْنِ يُوسُفَ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ بِدِمَشْقَ ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ وَزِيرٍ يَعْنِي ابْنَ الْحَكَمِ السُّلَمِيَّ ثنا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ وَتَأَوَّلَ مَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ مَا أَخْبَرَنَا هُوَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا شَكَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِ فَلَا يَدْرِي أَثْلَاثًا صَلَّى أَمْ أَرْبَعًا فَلْيُلْقِ الشَّكَّ وَلْيَبْنِ عَلَى الْيَقِينِ ثُمَّ لِيَسْجُدْ سَجْدَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ فَإِنْ كَانَتْ وِتْرًا أَشْفَعَهَا بِهَاتَيْنِ السَّجْدَتَيْنِ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ شَفْعًا فَالسَّجْدَتَانِ تَرْغِيمٌ لِلشَّيْطَانِ  

suyuti:2040a

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: When any one of you is in doubt about his prayer and he does Dot know how much he has prayed, three or four (rak'ahs). he should cast aside his doubt and base his prayer on what he is sure of. then perform two prostrations before giving salutations. If he has prayed five rak'ahs, they will make his prayer an even number for him, and if he has prayed exactly four, they will be humiliation for the devil. (Using translation from Muslim 571a)   

السيوطي:٢٠٤٠a

"إذا شكَّ أحدُكُمْ في صلاتِه فلمْ يَدْرِ كم صلَّى، ثلاثًا أمْ أربْعًا؟ فليَطرحْ الشَّكَ ولْيبْنِ على ما اسْتيقَنَ ثُمَّ يَسْجُدْ سجْدَتين قْبلَ أنْ يُسلِّمَ، فإِن كانَ صلَّى خمسًا شَفعْن له صَلاته، وإنْ كانَ صلَّى إتْمامًا لأربعٍ كانتا تَرْغيما للشَّيطان".  

[ش] ابن أبى شيبة [حم] أحمد [م] مسلم [د] أبو داود [ن] النسائي [هـ] ابن ماجة عن أبي سعيد- مالك وعبد الرزاق عن عطاء بن يسار مرسلًا