Chapter: Placing the Knees Before the Hands

o And I saw Ahmad, when he prostrated, place his knees before his hands.

988 - Muhammad ibn al-Musaffa narrated to us, he said: al-Walid ibn Muslim narrated to us, he said: Abu 'Amr al-Awza'i narrated to us, he said: "I encountered the people placing their hands before their knees."

989 - Sa'id ibn Mansur narrated to us, he said: 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn Muhammad narrated to us, he said: Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah ibn al-Hasan narrated to me, from Abu al-Zinad, from al-A'raj, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "When one of you prostrates, he should not kneel like a camel kneels; he should place his hands before his knees."

Chapter Concerning Forgetfulness (Sahw): Regarding one who does not know whether he prayed three or four [rak'ahs]?

• I heard Abu 'Abd Allah Ahmad ibn Hanbal say—regarding a man who does not know whether he prayed three or four—he said: "He should add another one to it, until it becomes four."

• I heard Ishaq say: "If you are in doubt in your prayer, and you do not know whether you prayed three or two, then consider that which you are certain of and hold fast to it, complete what you are in doubt about, and perform the two prostrations of forgetfulness (sajdatay al-sahw), and perform them after the taslim, then perform the taslim to your right and to your left."