One day, he prayed, gave the closing salutation, and left, although one unit of the prayer remained. Talhah ibn ‘Ubayd Allāh caught up with him and said: “You have forgotten one unit of the prayer.” He returned, entered the mosque, and instructed Bilāl to give the call to commence the prayer. He then led the people in one unit of prayer. This was reported by Imam Ahmad (1).

He performed five units in the noon prayer and was asked: “Has the prayer been increased?” He replied: “What do you mean?” They said: “You prayed five units.” He then performed two prostrations after giving the closing salutation. This was reported by both al-Bukhārī and Muslim (2).

He performed three units in the afternoon prayer, then entered his home. The people reminded him, so he came out and led them in one unit of prayer. He then gave the closing salutation, performed two prostrations, and gave the closing salutation again (3).

These are all the recorded instances of the Prophet’s forgetfulness in prayer, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: five occasions in total. In some, he prostrated before the closing salutation; in others, after it. Al-Shāfi‘ī held that all prostrations for forgetfulness should precede the closing salutation, while Abū Hanīfah held that they should all follow it.

Mālik said: “Whenever forgetfulness results in an omission from the prayer, the prostrations for it precede the closing salutation; whenever it results in an addition to the prayer, the prostrations for it follow the closing salutation. If two lapses occur together, one involving an addition and the other an omission, the prostrations for both precede the closing salutation.” Abū ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said (4): “This