Furthermore, it is related in Sahīh al-Bukhārī [from Abū Wā’il, from Zayd ibn Wahb] that Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamān, may Allah be pleased with him, saw a man who did not complete his bowing or prostration. When the man had finished his prayer, Hudhayfah called him over and said, “You have not prayed. Had you died, you would have died outside the natural disposition upon which Allah created Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.” Abū Wā’il’s wording is: “You have not prayed,” and I believe he also said: “Had you died, you would have died outside the Sunnah of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.”

This man, who had not completed his prayer, had omitted either the requisite stillness, properly straightening himself between postures, or [both]. He must necessarily have omitted at least one of these, for pecking like a crow, leaving no more than a sword’s edge between the two prostrations, and dropping directly from bowing into prostration [cannot] be reduced any further while one still performs something that might be called bowing or prostration. This man did perform what might be called bowing and prostration, but he did not perform them fully. Yet Hudhayfah said to him, “You have not prayed,” thus denying that he had prayed. He then said, “Had you died, you would have died outside the natural disposition upon which Allah created Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him,” and, “outside the Sunnah.” Both expressions here mean religion and revealed law; they do not refer to performing recommended acts, for failing to perform such acts would not warrant this censure and threat. Hardly anyone dies having observed every recommended practice performed by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Moreover, in their usage, the terms “natural disposition” and “Sunnah” mean religion and revealed law, even though some people have adopted the convention that the term “Sunnah” is intended to mean