prostrated twice and then gave the salām. (1) This is the position of the school.

The second view is that performing the prostration before or after the salām is obligatory: whatever the sunnah indicates is to be done before the salām must be done before it, and whatever the sunnah indicates is to be done after the salām must be done after it. This was the view preferred by Shaykh al-Islam, and it is the stronger opinion. (2)

The evidence for this is found in the Messenger’s words and actions. As for his words, concerning what is done before the salām, he said: “Then let him prostrate twice before giving the salām.” (3) Concerning what is done after the salām, he said: “Then let him give the salām, then prostrate twice.” (4) The basic principle concerning a command is that it denotes obligation.

As for the Messenger’s actions, he performed the prostration for an addition after the salām (5), and the prostration for an omission before the salām (6). He said: “Pray as you have seen me pray.” (7) This encompasses both the essential components of the prayer and what rectifies the prayer. The prostration of forgetfulness rectifies the prayer. Accordingly, whatever is to be done before the salām must be done before it, and whatever is to be done after it must be done after it. Therefore, everyone must know which prostration is to be performed before the salām and which is to be performed after it, for whatever is indispensable to fulfilling an obligation is itself obligatory.