the esteemed Abu Ishaq al-Huwayni in his valuable book, Relief for the Distressed: Tracing the Reports in Ibn al-Jarud’s al-Muntaqa. He gifted me its first volume—may Allah reward him well.

The second is that al-Hafiz, in Fath al-Bari, attributed it to Ibn Khuzaymah alone.

The third is that al-Hafiz al-Haythami did not include this narration of Ibn Hibban in Mawarid al-Zam'an, even though it fulfils his criterion on account of this addition. For example, he included, in no. 536, the hadith of Imran concerning the prostrations of forgetfulness, despite its being in Muslim, because Ibn Hibban’s narration adds mention of the tashahhud after the two prostrations of forgetfulness. Yet he overlooked a great many reports of this type. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to remedy this omission, or at least part of it. Allah Most High is the Granter of success.

Benefit: His statement, “When he had straightened up, he continued and did not return,” strongly indicates that the reason he, peace and blessings be upon him, did not return to the tashahhud—which is a duty—was only that he had become fully upright in standing. Its implication is that, had he not fully straightened up, he would have returned. This is explicitly stated in his saying, peace and blessings be upon him:

“When the imam rises after two rak'ahs, and remembers before becoming fully upright, let him sit. But if he becomes fully upright, let him not sit; rather, let him perform the two prostrations of forgetfulness.”

This hadith is authentic on account of its combined chains of transmission, one of which is sound. It is cited in Irwa al-Ghalil (388) and Sahih Abi Dawud (949). Thus, what is stated in some books of fiqh—that if he is closer to standing, he should not return—besides contradicting these two hadiths, has absolutely no basis in the sunnah. So, O Muslim, be clear-sighted concerning your religion.

2458 — “It is written in the Gospel: He is neither obscene nor harsh, nor does he raise his voice in the marketplaces. He does not requite an evil with its like; rather, he pardons and overlooks.”

Al-Hakim (2/614) and Ibn Asakir (1/264/2) narrated it through Ahmad ibn Abd al-Jabbar, who said: Yunus ibn Bukayr narrated to us from Yunus ibn Amr, from al-Ayzar ibn Hurayth, from Aishah, that the Messenger of Allah