(1) The alleged consensus is questionable. Ibn Qudama writes in al-Mughni (1/771), after reproducing Ibn al-Mundhir’s words: “Al-Qadi transmits another report: that the second taslimah (closing salutation) is obligatory, and he deems it the stronger view, citing the hadith of Jabir b. Samurah; the Prophet (peace be upon him) practised it consistently; prayer, like hajj, involves two acts of release (tahallul), so both should be compulsory; and because it is one of the two salutations, it should be required just as the first is. The sound position, however, is what we have already stated: Ahmad gave no explicit text declaring both taslimahs obligatory. He merely said, ‘The two taslimahs are the soundest report from the Messenger of Allah, and I follow the hadith of Ibn Masud and others.’ It is possible that he meant this in terms of permissibility and recommendation, not obligation, as other scholars have. This is supported by his statement in the narration of Mihna: ‘I am more pleased with the two taslimahs.’ Moreover, Aishah, Salamah b. al-Aqwaʿ and Sahl b. Saʿd all reported that ‘the Prophet used to give a single salutation,’ and the Muhajirun likewise used only one. Thus we reconcile the evidences and the Companions’ statements: what is legislated and recommended is two taslimahs, while what is obligatory is one. This, in turn, corroborates the consensus reported by Ibn al-Mundhir, and there is no basis for abandoning it.” End quote. Ibn Muflih states in al-Furuʿ (1/465): “Is the second salutation a pillar (rukn) of the prayer, or merely obligatory (wajib)? Two reports exist; a third calls it sunnah, adopted by Shaykh Taqi al-Din, and yet another confines this to supererogatory prayers.” He continues: “First view: it is a pillar, and this is the correct opinion—asserted in al-Hidayah when listing the pillars, in al-Manar, and labelled ‘pillar’ in al-Madhhab in the sounder of the two reports. It is affirmed in the marginalia on al-Muqniʿ and preferred in at-Talkhis, al-Bulghah, the Mukhtasar of Ibn Tamim, both editions of ar-Riʿayah and al-Hawi, an-Nazm, Idrak al-Ghayah and by al-Zarkashi. It was chosen by Abu Bakr, al-Qadi and most scholars. Second view: it is obligatory but not a pillar; al-Qadi says this is more correct. It is likewise favoured by the versifier of al-Mufradat, affirmed in al-Ifadat and at-Tashil, and given precedence in al-Faiq. Al-Qadi states in al-Jamiʿ: ‘Both taslimahs are obligatory; one does not exit the prayer without them,’ clearly indicating obligation rather than pillarship. Third view: it is merely recommended (sunnah). This is asserted in al-ʿUmdah and al-Wajiz, selected by Shaykh al-Muwaffaq in al-Mughni—he attributes it to al-Khiraqi because the latter did not list it among the obligations—and is also preferred by the commentator, Ibn ʿAbdus in his Tadhkirah, and Ibn Ruzayn in his Sharh, who declares it to be the consensus, following Ibn al-Mundhir. … Ibn al-Qayyim remarks: ‘It is Ibn al-Mundhir’s habit that, when he sees the opinion of the majority of scholars, he records it as a consensus.’ I (the author) add: Ibn Ruzayn’s claim of consensus is open to objection, for he himself cites Ahmad’s disagreement—his statement is therefore contradictory.” End quote.