had not been shortened and that he had forgotten.” Some held that this was because answering him was obligatory and did not invalidate the prayer, on the basis of the hadith of Abū Saʿīd ibn al-Muʿallā. Others thought that it served the prayer’s benefit, and therefore permitted deliberate speech for that purpose. Still others thought that it occurred only inadvertently, because they did not know that part of their prayer remained to be completed and that someone with part of the prayer still outstanding must not speak.

Others then said: This speech, together with that of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and Dhū al-Yadayn, although inadvertent, served only the prayer’s benefit.

The question here is whether someone who speaks similarly during the prayer itself, knowing that he is in prayer, whether inadvertently or deliberately for the prayer’s benefit, is to be treated in the same way. There are two views on this within the school of Ahmad and among others.

Those who did not equate the two situations said: In this situation, they were no longer actually praying, having inadvertently ended their prayer, although they remained legally subject to its rulings, as we have explained. This is why such speech was widespread.

Those who equated the two said: All the other things prohibited during prayer remain prohibited in such a situation, just as they are during the prayer itself. Interrupting the prayer here was permitted only because of the excuse of forgetfulness; it therefore does not permit doing anything incompatible with prayer.

For this reason, they agreed that if someone in such a situation deliberately does something that invalidates the prayer, without serving its benefit, his prayer is invalidated—even though it would not be invalidated if he did that after the imam’s concluding salām. This is because the worshipper both performs the prayer and refrains from whatever is incompatible with it. If he is excused in one of these two respects for a valid reason, he may not be excused in the other without a valid reason. The same applies if he deliberately adds an action, for after