are performed before the salām and others after it.”

Al-Qādī Abū Ya'lā said:
“Ahmad’s position does not differ concerning these two cases: the prostrations are performed after the salām when someone gives the salām with one or more units of prayer still remaining, and when he has doubts and exercises his judgment to determine what is most likely correct.”

Ahmad said, as reported by al-Athram:
“My position is this: in every case of forgetfulness in which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is reported to have prostrated after the salām, one should prostrate after the salām. In all other cases, one should prostrate before the salām. This is sounder in principle, because these prostrations belong to the prayer, so one should perform them before giving the salām.”

He then said: “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prostrated after the salām in three cases, and before the salām in the others.”

I said: “Explain the three cases in which the prostrations come after the salām.”

He replied:
“‘He gave the salām after two units, then prostrated after the salām.’ This is the hadith of Dhū al-Yadayn. ‘He gave the salām after three units, then prostrated after the salām.’ This is the hadith of 'Imrān ibn Husayn. And in the hadith of Ibn Mas'ūd concerning exercising judgment, he prostrated after the salām.”

Abū Muhammad said:
“Al-Qādī said: ‘Ahmad’s position does not differ concerning these two cases: the prostrations for them are performed after the salām.’ He added: ‘His position differed concerning someone who inadvertently prays five units: should he prostrate before or after the salām? Two positions are reported from him. In all cases other than these three, the prostrations are performed before the salām, with only one position reported from him. This was also the view of Sulaymān ibn Dāwūd, Abū Khaythamah, and Ibn al-Mundhir.’”

He added: Abū al-Khattāb also reported two further positions: