his book, stating that the first ten are, by consensus of the scholars, legitimate places for the prostration of recitation.

Al-Ṭaḥāwī likewise transmitted this agreement in Sharḥ al-Maʿānī 1/211, though he substituted the prostration of Sūrat Fussilat for that of Sūrat Sād. Both of them then produced authentic chains showing that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prostrated in Sād, al-Najm, al-Inshiqāq, and Iqraʾ (al-ʿAlaq). These last three belong to the Mufassal group and are the ones referred to in ʿAmr’s report.

In sum, despite the weakness of its chain, the ḥadīth is supported by the unanimous practice of the ummah regarding most of its content, and by sound reports corroborating the rest—save for the second prostration in Sūrat al-Ḥajj, for which neither a proof from the Sunnah nor a consensus exists. Even so, the fact that some Companions performed that prostration may be taken as evidence of its legitimacy, especially since no opposing report from them is known. Allah knows best.

His statement concerning the prerequisites: “As for what al-Bayhaqī narrated from him—meaning Ibn ʿUmar—with a chain that al-Fath declares authentic, in which he said: ‘A man is not to prostrate unless he is in a state of purity, thereby combining…’”

I say: In its chain as recorded by al-Bayhaqī (2/325) there is Abū Sahl Bishr ibn Aḥmad, who said: “Dāwud ibn al-Ḥusayn al-Bayhaqī narrated to us.” I have found no biography for Dāwud in the reference works available to me; perhaps he is mentioned in books that have not reached us.

His name does appear in two chains cited by al-Jurjānī in Tārīkh Jurjān, pp. 355 and 503 (Beirut edition). When Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ of al-Dhahabī was later printed, I found that he includes him there, 13/579, describing him as: “the ḥadīth scholar, the trustworthy imam, the musnid of Naysābūr … d. 273 AH.”

Nevertheless, al-Dhahabī did not pronounce this report authentic in al-Muhadhdhab, his abridgment of Sunan al-Bayhaqī; he merely remained silent about it. Allah knows best.