Hadiths on the prostration for forgetfulness: We find that most of them, as in the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) (if one of you is uncertain in his prayer) or in his rak'ahs, meaning (so he did not know...

The questioner : The hadiths on the prostration for forgetfulness, the hadiths.

The Shaykh : Hadiths, what?

The questioner : The prostration for forgetfulness.

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : We find, O our Shaykh, that most of them, meaning the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): or in his rak'ahs, meaning ; meaning most of them focus on uncertainty regarding the number of rak'ahs. And there is another hadith: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forgot the first tashahhud, so he stood up and prostrated before the taslim." Do we say that the prostration for forgetfulness is not prescribed except in these two places only, and we stand by the texts and restrict the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): , restricting it to the number of rak'ahs only and forgetting the first tashahhud? Or do we say that when any obligatory act or any recommended practice is forgotten, we attach it to this text? And if we say the latter, what prevents us from saying the former?

The Shaykh : The principle is to apply the general text in its generality, unless a contradicting text comes that specifies it. As for the case you mentioned, it does not contradict the general text such that we would invalidate the general text; rather, we apply it and keep it in its generality. Just as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: .

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : And we do not restrict it to only two places.

The questioner : Ah, the condition in it is restriction, O our Shaykh. The condition of restriction.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : The condition of restriction.

The Shaykh : That it be a contradiction.

The questioner : That there be a contradiction.

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : May Allah reward you.