Muslim (9) recorded with his chain of narration from Abu al-Muhallab, from 'Imran ibn al-Husayn, who said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) performed the taslim after three rak'ahs of the 'Asr prayer, then stood up and entered his chamber. A man with long hands stood up and said: 'Has the prayer been shortened, O Messenger of Allah?' He went out feeling angry, then prayed the rak'ah that he had omitted, then performed the taslim, then performed the two prostrations of forgetfulness, and then performed the taslim. Ibn 'Umar, Ibn 'Abbas, and Dhu al-Yadayn narrated something similar to the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them all).

Section: If the interval is long, or his wudu is invalidated, he must restart the prayer. This is likewise what al-Shafi'i said: If he remembers soon, [it is] like the action of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) on the day of Dhu al-Yadayn. Malik said something similar. Yahya al-Ansari, al-Layth, and al-Awza'i said: He may resume [the prayer], as long as his wudu has not been invalidated. Our position is that it is one single prayer, so it is not permissible to build one part upon another if the interval is long, just as it is if his wudu is invalidated. Regarding the length or shortness of the interval (10), one refers to custom, without specifying a duration, [and there is a disagreement among the companions of al-Shafi'i regarding this if one omits a pillar, as has been explained previously] (11). The correct view is that it (12) has no limit; for the Sacred Law did not provide a specific limit for it, so one refers back to custom and to [actions] close to the state of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in the hadith of Dhu al-Yadayn.

Section: If he does not remember until he has entered into another prayer, [and the interval is long, the first is invalidated, and if] (13) the interval is not long, he returns to the first and completes it. [And this is what al-Shafi'i said] (14).