a lesser form of prostration, as Allah Most High says:

“And enter the gate in prostration.”

They explained this as “bowing.” Thus, she was permitted to perform something short of full prostration.

As for Ibn Hazm’s argument that anything fewer than two units does not constitute prayer, based on the statement:

“Night and daytime prayers are offered two units at a time,”

this is narrated by al-Azdī, ʿAlī ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Bāriqī, from Ibn ʿUmar. It contradicts what the well-known, reliable transmitters narrated from Ibn ʿUmar. They narrated, as recorded in the two Sahīhs, that the Prophet was asked about night prayer and said:

“Night prayer is offered two units at a time. If you fear that dawn is near, pray a single unit to make the number odd.”

For this reason, Imam Ahmad and other scholars graded al-Bāriqī’s hadith as weak. Nor can it be said that this is an addition reported by a reliable transmitter and must therefore be accepted, for several reasons.

First, the narrator in question has been criticized. Second, that applies when he does not contradict the majority of transmitters. If he alone reports something not reported by the majority, there are two views on this in Ahmad’s school and elsewhere.

Third, this applies only when the addition does not contradict the report to which it is added. In this hadith, Ibn ʿUmar related:

“A man asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about night prayer. He replied: ‘Night prayer is offered two units at a time. If you fear that dawn is near, pray a single unit to make the number odd.’”

It is clear that if he had said, “Night and daytime prayers are offered two units at a time. If you fear that dawn is near