and others. The Messenger is the authority on what constitutes prayer. The Sunan collections contain the hadith of Alī, who reported that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

“The key to prayer is purification; one enters its sacred state by declaring ‘Allah is Greatest’ and leaves it by the salutation of peace.”

This is also reliably preserved as a statement of Ibn Masūd himself. It thus clarifies that “prayer” is that whose key is purification, whose sacred state begins with declaring “Allah is Greatest” and ends with the salutation of peace. This encompasses everything that begins and ends in this manner, including prayer involving bowing and prostration, whether offered two units at a time, as a single unit, as three consecutive units, or as more than that.

It also encompasses the funeral prayer, since its sacred state begins with declaring “Allah is Greatest” and ends with the salutation of peace. The Companions were instructed to observe ritual purification when they distinguished between it and the prostration of recitation. This is what al-Bukhārī mentioned in his Sahīh. In the chapter entitled “The prescribed practice in the funeral prayer,” he said:

“The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘Whoever offers the funeral prayer,’ and said, ‘Offer the funeral prayer for your companion,’ and said, ‘Offer the funeral prayer for al-Najāshī.’ He called it a prayer, although it contains neither bowing nor prostration. One does not converse during it, and it includes declaring ‘Allah is Greatest’ and the salutation of peace. Ibn Umar would offer it only in a state of ritual purity. He would not offer it at sunrise or sunset, and he would raise his hands.

“Allah Most High said:

“‘And never pray over any of them who dies, nor stand at his grave.’

“It also involves rows and an imam.”

All these features that he mentioned are absent from the prostrations of recitation and gratitude