that, and had acquired knowledge from Abd Allah and others like him. It has therefore become clear that this was not the case.

Here ends what was found in the original manuscript. Praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds.

[Chapter on the Salutation Being Part of the Prayer]

Chapter

As for the salutation at the conclusion of the prayer, the preferred position according to Mālik and those among the people of Medina who followed him is to give one salutation in every prayer, whether obligatory or voluntary and whether it comprises multiple physical pillars or only one. The people of Kufa hold that two salutations are to be given in all such prayers, and al-Shāfi'ī agreed with them.

According to the well-known report from Ahmad, the preferred view is that two salutations are given at the end of a complete prayer comprising standing, bowing, and prostration. As for a prayer consisting of a single physical pillar—such as the funeral prayer, the prostration of recitation, or the prostration of gratitude—the preferred view is that it ends with one salutation, as indicated by most of the transmitted reports. Thus, a prayer comprising multiple physical pillars is exited with multiple salutations, whereas one comprising a single physical pillar is exited with a single salutation. The prayer of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was well proportioned: whenever he lengthened it, he gave each part its due share of length, and whenever he shortened it, he shortened all its parts generally.

[Chapter on Congregational Prayer]

Chapter

As for congregational prayer, the hadith scholars followed what the Quran, the Sunnah, and the statements of the Companions indicate: that it is obligatory in the absence of a valid excuse and that its obligation is waived when an excuse exists. They also gave precedence in choosing prayer leaders according to the criteria established by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he said: “The person most proficient in reciting the Book of Allah should lead the people in prayer. If they are equal in recitation, then the one most knowledgeable of the Sunnah; and if they are equal in