a formal entry into the prayer and an introduction to what will follow—the very first acts with which one begins, like a ceremonial offering. What comes after the prostration—the sitting in which one proclaims, “All greetings belong to Allah; peace be upon His righteous servants,” offers supplication, and greets those present—constitutes the prayer’s dismissal and is linked to what preceded it. The Prophet ﷺ said, “The key to the prayer is purification; its consecration is the opening takbir, and its release is the taslim.”

For this reason, when the scholars disagreed over what is superior—frequent bowing and prostration, prolonged standing, or whether the two are equal—three views were related from Ahmad and others. The soundest opinion is that they are equal: standing holds the finest words of remembrance, whereas prostration contains the finest bodily act, so the two balance one another. Accordingly, the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was balanced; he would keep the pillars nearly equal in length. Whenever he greatly prolonged the standing—as he did in the night vigil and the eclipse prayer—he would extend the bowing and prostration proportionally; and whenever he shortened the standing, he would likewise shorten the bowing and prostration.

As for the Mother of the Book, while it is the obligatory recitation, it is also the greatest surah in the Qur’an. The Prophet ﷺ said in an authentic hadith, “Nothing like it was revealed in the Torah, nor…”