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.
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

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Muslim, 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  

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  

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  

bayhaqi:3803Abū Muḥammad ʿAbdullāh b. Yūsuf al-Aṣbahānī Imlāʾ > al-Shaykh Abū Bakr Aḥmad b. Isḥāq > al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī b. Ziyād > Saʿīd b. Sulaymān > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Abū Salamah > Zayd b. Aslam > ʿAṭāʾ b. Yasār > Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "If one of you is unsure whether he has prayed three or four (rak'ahs), then he should complete it and perform one more rak'ah, then make two prostrations of forgetfulness while sitting. If his prayer was five (rak'ahs), then the extra rak'ah is a voluntary prayer, and if it was four (rak'ahs), then they are a means of thwarting Satan, and this is their meaning."  

البيهقي:٣٨٠٣حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ الْأَصْبَهَانِيُّ إِمْلَاءً ثنا الشَّيْخُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ أنبأ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ زِيَادٍ ثنا سَعِيدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ ثنا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ ثنا زَيْدُ بْنُ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا لَمْ يَدْرِ أَحَدُكُمْ ثَلَاثًا صَلَّى أَمْ أَرْبَعًا؟ فَلْيُتِمَّ وَيُصَلِّي رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ يَسْجُدْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ سَجْدَتَيِ السَّهْوِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ فَإِنْ كَانَتْ صَلَاتُهُ خَمْسًا شَفَعَتْ صَلَاتَهُ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ أَرْبَعًا كَانَتَا تَرْغِيمًا لِلشَّيْطَانِ وَبِمَعْنَاهُ  

رَوَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَجْلَانَ وَفُلَيْحُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُطَرِّفٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ مَوْصُولًا
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