to be performed in its proper place, and he cannot return to it without adding a descent from standing to sitting, which is not part of the prayer. The proper place for the recitation, however, has not passed, so he begins it anew without adding anything to his prayer.”

He said to me: “Ibn al-Qāsim says that someone who inadvertently pronounces the salām after two rakʿahs pronounces an opening takbīr and then sits. Thus, Ibn al-Qāsim has said that he returns to sitting, so your distinction between recitation and rising on this basis does not hold.”

I replied: “Neither Ibn al-Qāsim nor anyone else is reliably reported to have said, in the case you mention, that he pronounces an opening takbīr and then returns to sitting. Whoever interprets Ibn al-Qāsim’s words in this way has misunderstood him. What he means is that the worshipper first returns to sitting and then pronounces an opening takbīr. This is demonstrated by their agreement that someone who omits the middle sitting does not return to it after standing fully upright, because that would add a descent. This also explains the established Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ concerning this matter.” He then fell silent and conceded the point.

If someone objects: “A person who omits a prostration and remembers it while standing in the second rakʿah is instructed to return to it. Yet, in returning, he adds something that is not part of his prayer: the descent from standing to sitting. What is the difference between this and returning to perform the rising that must be disregarded?”

The answer is: “Prostration is an essential pillar of the prayer and cannot be compensated for by the prostrations for forgetfulness. He must therefore return to it, provided he has not passed the point of return by establishing the next rakʿah. Rising, however, can be compensated for by the two prostrations for forgetfulness, just like the middle sitting. He therefore does not return to it by adding something that is not part of the prayer. And Allah grants success.”