and even if he does not recognize this, these considerations give rise to serious doubt that precludes relying on this report to establish such a fundamental principle. Further evidence of this is that witr consists of a single unit, yet it is a prayer, as are the funeral prayer and others. It is therefore clear that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not intend thereby to define what constitutes prayer or delimit its scope, for a definition must include everything it defines and exclude everything else.

If it is said, “He intended to explain what forms of prayer are permissible,” the answer is: “What you have mentioned is permissible, and prostration for Quran recitation and prostration of gratitude are also permissible. Thus, his statement cannot establish either what is called prayer or the ruling concerning it.”

Any view held by a later scholar with no precedent among the earlier scholars is erroneous. As Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said:

“Beware of expressing a view on an issue in which you have no imam to follow.”

As for the prostrations of forgetfulness, Ibn Hazm also permitted them without ritual purity and without facing the qiblah, just as he permitted prostration for Quran recitation, on the basis of his weak principle. This view is therefore not known to have been held by any of the early generations. These prostrations are not like prostration for Quran recitation or prostration of gratitude, because they consist of two prostrations that take the place of one unit of prayer, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said in the authentic hadith concerning doubt:

“If any of you is in doubt