in the second rak‘ah shorter than the first standing, the second rak‘ah will be shorter than the first.

But what appears more likely—and Allah knows best—is that every standing, bowing, and prostration is shorter than the one before it.

To illustrate: suppose he recites one hundred verses in the first standing of the first rak‘ah, and eighty verses in the second. In the first standing of the second rak‘ah, does he recite eighty verses, and sixty in the second standing? Or does he recite sixty verses in the first standing of the second rak‘ah, and forty in the second?

The answer is that this is the point of uncertainty and possible interpretation. What appears more likely is the latter: namely, that he makes his recitation in the first standing of the second rak‘ah shorter than his recitation in the second standing of the first rak‘ah, so that the prayer progressively decreases in length, with each rak‘ah shorter than the one before it.

One wisdom in this is that it takes account of the worshipper’s condition. When a person first begins the prayer, he has energy and strength; then, as he continues, he becomes weaker. For this reason, his condition is taken into consideration: the first standing is longer, then the second, then the third, then the fourth.

His words, “Then he recites the tashahhud and concludes with the taslim,” mean: as in the other prayers. With this, this prayer comes to an end.

Al-Bukhari and Muslim agreed on this manner of performing it (1): that he prays