“Whoever catches a unit of prayer has caught the prostration.”

This is the view of the overwhelming majority of scholars; dissent on this matter is exceptional. Moreover, the prayer of someone unable to recite the Quran is valid without recitation, by scholarly consensus. As related in the Sunan collections:

“A man said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I am unable to learn any of the Quran, so teach me something that will suffice in its place.’

“He replied, ‘Say: Glory be to Allah; all praise belongs to Allah; none has the right to be worshipped but Allah; Allah is the Greatest; and there is no might or power except through Allah.’

“The man said, ‘This is for Allah, but what is there for me?’

“He replied, ‘Say: O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, provide for me, and guide me.’”

Furthermore, if someone forgets to recite during prayer, one view holds that his prayer is valid; this has been reported from al-Shāfiʿī. Another view holds that if he forgets the recitation in the first unit, he should recite in the second enough for both units; this has been reported from Ahmad. Prostration, however, is never waived. Thus, prostration is known to be superior to recitation, just as it is superior to standing. A latecomer to the prayer builds upon the recitation of the imam who appointed him as his replacement, just as the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) built upon Abū Bakr’s recitation.

The fifth argument:

It is established in an authentic report that:

“The Fire consumes every part of the son of Adam except the place of prostration.”

It therefore consumes the foot, even though it is the place of standing.