is his position, with no disagreement in what is reported from him concerning it. Yet, in his view, if someone performed the prostrations for forgetfulness differently, placing them all after the closing salutation or all before it, nothing would be required of him. He regards this as akin to a judge ruling according to his independent judgment, given the differing reports traced back to the Prophet and the differing views of the early generations of this community on the matter.

As for Imam Ahmad, al-Athram (1) said: ‘I heard Ahmad ibn Hanbal being asked about the prostrations for forgetfulness: should they precede the closing salutation or follow it? He replied: “In some cases they precede the closing salutation, and in others they follow it, just as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did. Whoever (2) gives the closing salutation after two units of prayer prostrates after the closing salutation, according to the hadith of Abū Hurayrah concerning Dhū al-Yadayn. Whoever gives the closing salutation after (3) three units likewise prostrates after the closing salutation, according to the hadith of ‘Imrān ibn Husayn. When proceeding on what he judges most likely, he prostrates after the closing salutation, according to the hadith of Ibn Mas‘ūd. When rising after two units, he prostrates before the closing salutation, according to the hadith of Ibn Buhaynah. When in doubt, he proceeds on the basis of what is certain and prostrates before the closing salutation, according to the hadith of Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī and the hadith of ‘Abd al-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf.”’

Al-Athram said: ‘I said to Ahmad ibn Hanbal: “What about cases other than these?” He replied: “In all of them, he prostrates before the closing salutation, because he is making up what was deficient in his prayer.” He said: “Were it not for what has been reported from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, I would hold that all such prostrations should precede the closing salutation, because they belong to the prayer and should therefore be performed before the closing salutation. However, I say: in every case in which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is reported to have prostrated after the closing salutation, one should prostrate after it; for all other instances of forgetfulness, one should prostrate before the closing salutation.”’