Then, if you see grazing livestock, remember Allah; but if you do not see them, then do not.

However, the well-known position among us—the Hanbali school—is that one should recite the takbir even if he does not see them.

The scholars differed over the timing of this restricted takbir: should it come before seeking forgiveness and before saying, “O Allah, You are Peace, and from You comes peace,” or after them?

Some scholars said that it should come before seeking forgiveness and before saying, “O Allah, You are Peace, and from You comes peace.” Thus, once the imam has given the salam and departed, one recites the takbir aloud, as the author will mention, then seeks forgiveness and says, “O Allah, You are Peace, and from You comes peace.”

The correct view is that seeking forgiveness and saying, “O Allah, You are Peace,” should come first, because seeking forgiveness and saying, “O Allah, You are Peace,” are more closely connected to the prayer than the takbir. Seeking forgiveness is recommended immediately after the prayer, since the worshipper cannot be certain that he performed the prayer perfectly; rather, there must inevitably be some deficiency—especially in our present age. Satan only comes to a person when he pronounces the takbir to begin the prayer.

When a person enters the prayer, Satan—may Allah protect us and you from him—opens for him the door of intrusive misgivings. Remarkably, once the prayer ends, these thoughts leave him. But is there a cure for this ailment?

The answer is: yes. This very ailment was brought as a complaint to the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, and he said to the one who complained: “That is a devil called Khinzab. When you sense him, spit lightly to your left three times and say, ‘I seek refuge in Allah from Satan...’” (1)