in the standing itself, unless someone were to contend that adding to the outward form somehow diminishes the inner meaning. That, however, contradicts the plain sense of the words, for the default understanding is that concision and lightness signify something other than completeness and perfection.

Furthermore, Zayd ibn Aslam said, “ʿUmar would shorten the standing and the sitting, yet he would perfect the bowing and the prostration.”

From this it is evident that, in their usage, “completeness” refers to perfecting the visible act.

All of Anas’s reports likewise indicate that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—used to lengthen the bowing, the prostration, and the two upright pauses beyond what most imams do, and the rest of the sound narrations support this.

In the two Ṣaḥīḥs it is related through Ḥammād ibn Zayd, from Thābit, from Anas ibn Mālik, who said, “I never fall short in leading you in prayer the way the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, led us.”

Thābit added, “Anas would do something I do not see you doing: when he raised his head from bowing he remained standing so long that someone would say, ‘He has forgotten.’ Likewise, when he lifted his head from prostration he remained seated so long that someone would say, ‘He has forgotten.’”