Hadith #270

Arabic Text

English Translation

ʿAbdullāh narrated to us, he said: Muḥammad ibn al-Muthannā narrated to me, he said: Maʿdī ibn Sulaymān narrated to us, he said: Shuʿayth ibn Muṭayr narrated to us, from his father Muṭayr — and Muṭayr was present, confirming his account — who said: 'How was it I told you?' He said, 'O my father, you told me that Dhū al-Yadayn met you at Dhī Khushub and told you that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ led them in one of the two afternoon prayers — and it was ʿAṣr — praying only two rakʿahs. The quick ones among the people left saying, "Has the prayer been shortened?" The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ stood up, and Abū Bakr and ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما followed him, beginning to speak. Dhū al-Yadayn caught up with him and said, "O Messenger of Allāh, has the prayer been shortened? Has the prayer been shortened? Or did you forget?" He said, "It has not been shortened, nor did I forget." Then he turned to Abū Bakr and ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما and said, "What is Dhū al-Yadayn saying?" They said, "He speaks the truth, O Messenger of Allāh." So the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ returned, and the people gathered back, and he prayed two more rakʿahs, then gave salām, then performed two prostrations of forgetfulness.' Abū Sulaymān said: 'I narrated it for six or seven years as "then he gave salām," but I was uncertain about it, though it is the stronger of my recollections.'