19 – Tarīf Abū Sufyān narrated from Abū Naḍrah, from Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Wuḍūʾ (ablution) is the key to the prayer; the takbīr ushers it into sanctity, and the taslīm releases it. After every two rakʿahs pronounce the taslīm, and no prayer is acceptable unless it contains the Opening Chapter of the Book (al-Fātiḥah) together with something in addition to it.”

In the version transmitted by al-Muqrī from Abū Ḥanīfah the wording is the same, with the following addition at the end: “I asked Abū Ḥanīfah, ‘What does he mean by his statement, “After every two rakʿahs pronounce the taslīm”?’ He replied, ‘He means the tashahhud.’” Al-Muqrī said, “That is correct.”

Another recension carries a similar wording but concludes with: “No prayer is acceptable unless it contains the Opening Chapter of the Book (al-Fātiḥah) and something else as well.”