from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—that he said:

“The finest words after the Quran are four—and they are part of the Quran: Glory be to Allah; all praise is due to Allah; none has the right to be worshipped but Allah; and Allah is the Greatest.”

This is why he instructed anyone unable to recite in prayer to engage in remembrance. For praising Allah while standing upright after bowing is prescribed by the mass-transmitted Sunnah and the consensus of the Muslims. This is what the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—would do in every prayer. Sometimes, after praising Allah, he would supplicate, saying:

“O Allah, distance me from my sins.”

Thus, he placed petition after praise, commendation, and glorification. He also commanded praise, saying:

“When he says, ‘Allah hears whoever praises Him,’ say, ‘Our Lord, to You belongs all praise.’”

What he consistently practised, placed first, and commanded is superior to what he did only sometimes, placed afterwards, and did not command. Furthermore, the Lord has designated praise as His due and petition as His servant’s share. He said:

“When the servant says, ‘All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has praised Me.’ When he says, ‘The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful,’ He says, ‘My servant has extolled Me.’ When he says, ‘Master of the Day of Judgment,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has glorified Me.’ When he says, ‘You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help,’ He says, ‘This verse is divided into two halves between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.’ When he says, ‘Guide us to the straight path,’ through to the end of the surah, He says, ‘These verses are for My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.’”

Moreover, the vast majority of scholars hold praise to be obligatory, and therefore require the final tashahhud. Likewise, according to Mālik and Ahmad, the first tashahhud is obligatory when one remembers it. Thus, if someone omits it