Abu Salama asked 'A'isha about the two prostrations (i. e. rak'ahs) which the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) made after the 'Asr. She said:
He (the Holy Prophet) observed them before the 'Asr prayer, but then he was hindered to do so, or he forgot them and then he observed them after the 'Asr, and then he continued observing them. (It was his habit) that when he (the Holy Prophet) observed prayer, he then continued observing it. Isma'il said: It implies that he always did that.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1816
Hadith 836
Chapter 55: It is recommended to pray two rak`ah before Maghrib - كتاب صلاة المسافرين وقصرها
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ جَمِيعًا عَنِ ابْنِ فُضَيْلٍ، - قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، - عَنْ مُخْتَارِ بْنِ فُلْفُلٍ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ عَنِ التَّطَوُّعِ، بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ فَقَالَ كَانَ عُمَرُ يَضْرِبُ الأَيْدِي عَلَى صَلاَةٍ بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ وَكُنَّا نُصَلِّي عَلَى عَهْدِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ غُرُوبِ الشَّمْسِ قَبْلَ صَلاَةِ الْمَغْرِبِ . فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلاَّهُمَا قَالَ كَانَ يَرَانَا نُصَلِّيهِمَا . فَلَمْ يَأْمُرْنَا وَلَمْ يَنْهَنَا.
Mukhtar b. Fulful said:
I asked Anas b. Malik about the voluntary prayers after the afternoon prayer, and he replied: 'Umar struck hit hands on prayer observed after the 'Asr prayer and we used to observe two rak'ahs after the sun set before the evening prayer during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). I said to him: Did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observe them? He said: He saw us observing them, but he neither commanded us nor forbade us to do so.
When we were in Medina, the moment the Mu'adhdhin made the call to the sunset prayer, the people hastened to the pillars of the mosque and prayed two rak'ahs with the result that any stranger coming into the mosque would think that the obligatory prayer had been observed owing to the number who were praying then.
Abdullah b. Mughaffal reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) u saying:
There Is between the two calls (Adhan and Iqama) a prayer. And he mentioned it three times, and at the third time he said: This applies to those who wish to do it.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1822
Hadith 839
Chapter 6: The Book of Prayer - Travellers - كتاب صلاة المسافرين وقصرها
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلاَةَ الْخَوْفِ بِإِحْدَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ رَكْعَةً وَالطَّائِفَةُ الأُخْرَى مُوَاجِهَةُ الْعَدُوِّ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفُوا وَقَامُوا فِي مَقَامِ أَصْحَابِهِمْ مُقْبِلِينَ عَلَى الْعَدُوِّ وَجَاءَ أُولَئِكَ ثُمَّ صَلَّى بِهِمُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ قَضَى هَؤُلاَءِ رَكْعَةً وَهَؤُلاَءِ رَكْعَةً .
Salim b. Abdullah b. 'Umar reported:
The Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) led on* of the two groups In one rak'ah of prayer in danger, while the other group faced the -enemy. Then they (the members of the first group) went back and replaced their companions who were facing the enemy. and then they (the members of the second group) came and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led them in one rak'ah of prayer. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pronounced salutation, and then they (the members of the Ant group) completed the rak'ah and they (the members of the second group) completed the rak'ah.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1824
Hadith 840
Chapter 6: The Book of Prayer - Travellers - كتاب صلاة المسافرين وقصرها
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ أَبِي سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ شَهِدْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلاَةَ الْخَوْفِ فَصَفَّنَا صَفَّيْنِ صَفٌّ خَلْفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَالْعَدُوُّ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ الْقِبْلَةِ فَكَبَّرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَبَّرْنَا جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ رَكَعَ وَرَكَعْنَا جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ وَرَفَعْنَا جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ انْحَدَرَ بِالسُّجُودِ وَالصَّفُّ الَّذِي يَلِيهِ وَقَامَ الصَّفُّ الْمُؤَخَّرُ فِي نَحْرِ الْعَدُوِّ فَلَمَّا قَضَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم السُّجُودَ وَقَامَ الصَّفُّ الَّذِي يَلِيهِ انْحَدَرَ الصَّفُّ الْمُؤَخَّرُ بِالسُّجُودِ وَقَامُوا ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمَ الصَّفُّ الْمُؤَخَّرُ وَتَأَخَّرَ الصَّفُّ الْمُقَدَّمُ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَرَكَعْنَا جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ وَرَفَعْنَا جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ انْحَدَرَ بِالسُّجُودِ وَالصَّفُّ الَّذِي يَلِيهِ الَّذِي كَانَ مُؤَخَّرًا فِي الرَّكْعَةِ الأُولَى وَقَامَ الصَّفُّ الْمُؤَخَّرُ فِي نُحُورِ الْعَدُوِّ فَلَمَّا قَضَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم السُّجُودَ وَالصَّفُّ الَّذِي يَلِيهِ انْحَدَرَ الصَّفُّ الْمُؤَخَّرُ بِالسُّجُودِ فَسَجَدُوا ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَسَلَّمْنَا جَمِيعًا . قَالَ جَابِرٌ كَمَا يَصْنَعُ حَرَسُكُمْ هَؤُلاَءِ بِأُمَرَائِهِمْ .
Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported:
I observed prayer in danger with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). We drew ourselves up in two rows, one row behind him with the enemy between us and the Qibla. The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) said: Allah is Most Great, and we all said it. He then bowed and we all bowed. He then raised his head from bowing, we all raised (our heads). He then went down in prostration along with the row close to him, and the rear row faced the enemy; then when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) completed the prostration, ; and then stood up, the row near to him also did it; then went down the rear row in prostration; then they stood up; then the rear row went to the front and the front row went to the rear. Then the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) bowed down and we all bowed. He then raised his head from bowing and we also raised (our heads). He and the row close to him which I had been in the rear then went down in prostration In the first rak'ah, whereas the rear row faced the enemy. And when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the rear row close to him had finished the prostration, the rear row went down and prostrated themselves; then the Messenger of Allah pronounced the salutation and we also pronounced the salutation. (Jabir said we hadith) as your guards behave with their chiefs.
Sahl b. Abu Hathma reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led his Companions in prayer in danger. He made them stand in two rows behind him. He led them who were close to him in one rak'ah. He then stood up and kept standing till those who were behind them observed one rak'ah. Then they (those standing in the second row) came in front and those who were in front went into the rear. He then led them In one rak'ah. He then sat down, till those who were behind him observed one rak'ah and then pronounced salutation.
Yazid b. Ruman told on the authority of Salih b. Khawwat on the authority of one who prayed in time of danger with Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) at the Battle of Dhat ar-Riqa' that a group formed a row and prayed along with him, and a group faced the enemy. He led the group which was along with him in a rak'ah, then remained standing while they finished the prayer by themselves. Then they departed and formed a row facing the enemy. Then the second group came and he led them in the remaining rak'ah, after which he remained seated while they finished the prayer themselves. He then led them in salutation.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1829
Hadith 843
Chapter 6: The Book of Prayer - Travellers - كتاب صلاة المسافرين وقصرها
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبَانُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، بْنُ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ أَقْبَلْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى إِذَا كُنَّا بِذَاتِ الرِّقَاعِ قَالَ كُنَّا إِذَا أَتَيْنَا عَلَى شَجَرَةٍ ظَلِيلَةٍ تَرَكْنَاهَا لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم - قَالَ - فَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَسَيْفُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُعَلَّقٌ بِشَجَرَةٍ فَأَخَذَ سَيْفَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاخْتَرَطَهُ فَقَالَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَتَخَافُنِي قَالَ " لاَ " . قَالَ فَمَنْ يَمْنَعُكَ مِنِّي قَالَ " اللَّهُ يَمْنَعُنِي مِنْكَ " . قَالَ فَتَهَدَّدَهُ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَغْمَدَ السَّيْفَ وَعَلَّقَهُ - قَالَ - فَنُودِيَ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَصَلَّى بِطَائِفَةٍ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ تَأَخَّرُوا وَصَلَّى بِالطَّائِفَةِ الأُخْرَى رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَالَ فَكَانَتْ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَرْبَعُ رَكَعَاتٍ وَلِلْقَوْمِ رَكْعَتَانِ .
Jabir reported:
We went forward with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and when we reached Dhat ar-Riqa', we came to a shady tree which -we left for him One of the polytheists came there and, seeing the sword of the Messenger (ﷺ) hanging by a free. took it up. drew it from the scabbard and said to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): Are you afraid of Me? He (the Holy Prophet) said: No. He again said: Who would protect you from me? He said: Allah will protect me from you. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) threatened him. He sheathed the sword and hung it up. Then call to prayer was made and he (the Holy Prophet) led a group in two rak'ah. Then (the members of this group) withdrew and he led the second group in two rak'ah. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed four rak'ah and people observed two rak'ah.