The Prophet (ﷺ) offered one of the evening prayers (the sub-narrator Muhammad said, "I think that it was most probably the `Asr prayer") and he finished it after offering two rak`at only. He then stood near a price of wood in front of the Mosque and put his hand over it. Abu Bakr and `Umar were amongst those who were present, but they dared not talk to him about that (because of excessive respect for him), and those who were in a hurry went out. They said, "Has the prayer been reduced?" A man who was called Dhul-Yadain by the Prophet (ﷺ) said (to the Prophet), "Has the prayer been reduced or have you forgotten?" He said, "Neither have I forgotten, nor has the prayer been reduced." He said, "Certainly you have forgotten." So the Prophet (ﷺ) offered two more rak`at and performed Taslim and then said Takbir and performed a prostration of Sahu like his ordinary prostration or a bit longer and then raised his head and said Takbir and then put his head down and performed a prostration like his ordinary prostration or a bit longer, and then raised his head and said Takbir.

Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) offered two rak`at and finished his prayer. So Dhul-Yadain asked him, "Has the prayer been reduced or have you forgotten?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Has Dhul-Yadain spoken the truth?" The people replied in the affirmative. Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) stood up and offered the remaining two rak`at and performed Taslim, and then said Takbir and performed two prostrations like his usual prostrations, or a bit longer, and then got up.

The Prophet (ﷺ) led us in the `Asr or the Zuhr prayer and finished it with Taslim. Dhul-Yadain said to him, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Has the prayer been reduced?" The Prophet (ﷺ) asked his companions in the affirmative. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) I offered two more rak`at and then performed two prostrations (of Sahu). Sa`d said, "I saw that 'Urwa bin Az-Zubair had offered two rak`at in the Maghrib prayer and finished it with Taslim. He then talked (and when he was informed about it) he completed the rest of his prayer and performed two prostrations, and said, 'The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed like this.' "

Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) offered five rak`at in the Zuhr prayer, and somebody asked him whether there was some increase in the prayer. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "What is that?" He said, "You have offered five rak`at." So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) performed two prostrations of Sahu after Taslim.

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got up after the second rak`a of the Zuhr prayer without sitting in between (the second and the third rak`at). When he finished the prayer he performed two prostrations (of Sahu) and then finished the prayer with Taslim.

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) once led us in a prayer and offered two rak`at and got up (for the third rak`a) without sitting (after the second rak`a). The people also got up with him, and when he was about to finish his prayer, we waited for him to finish the prayer with Taslim but he said Takbir before Taslim and performed two prostrations while sitting and then finished the prayer with Taslim.

People say that I narrate too many narrations of the Prophet; once I met a man (during the lifetime of the Prophet) and asked him, "Which Sura did Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) s recite yesterday in the `Isha' prayer?" He said, "I do not know." I said, "Did you not attend the prayer?" He said, "Yes, (I did)." I said, "I know. He recited such and such Sura."

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "When the Adhan for the prayer is pronounced, then Satan takes to his heels passing wind so that he may not hear the Adhan and when the Mu'adh-dhin finishes, he comes back; and when the Iqama is pronounced he again takes to his heels and when it is finished, he again comes back and continues reminding the praying person of things that he used not to remember when not in prayer till he forgets how much he has prayed." Abu Salama bin `Abdur-Rahman said, "If anyone of you has such a thing (forgetting the number of rak`at he has prayed) he should perform two prostrations of Sahu (i.e. forgetfulness) while sitting." Abu Salama narrates this from Abu Huraira.

I offered the `Asr prayer with the Prophet (ﷺ) and after finishing the prayer with Taslim he got up quickly and went to some of his wives and then came out. He noticed the signs of astonishment on the faces of the people caused by his speed. He then said, "I remembered while I was in my prayer that a piece of gold was Lying in my house and I disliked that it should remain with us throughout the night, and so I have ordered it to be distributed."

It was forbidden to pray with the hands over one's hips.