The well-known position in the madhhab is that both taslims are pillars, in both obligatory and voluntary prayers (1).

It has also been said that the second taslim is a sunnah in voluntary prayers but not in obligatory ones.

And it has been said that it is a sunnah in both obligatory and voluntary prayers.

It has also been said that the taslim is not an end in itself, and that once a person does something incompatible with the prayer, the prayer has ended (2).

The expression used by the author is the same one used by Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, when she said: “He would conclude the prayer with the taslim” (3). Thus, we say regarding the hadith what we said regarding the author’s words: Does taslim here mean the established form of taslim, thus including both taslims, or does it mean taslim in the general sense—that is, the category itself—such that one taslim suffices?

The view closer to the truth is that both taslims are pillars, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, consistently observed them and said: “Pray as you have seen me pray” (4). Moreover, fairness was among the Prophet’s customary practices: if he gave taslim to the right, he also gave taslim to the left. If he were to give taslim only to the right, despite being able to give it to the left, this would not be realized. Therefore, he would give taslim to his right and to his left, so that the right would have its share of the taslim and the left would have its share of the taslim.