he ﷺ meant to teach them that failing to complete the bowing and prostration (ruku and sujud) constitutes a major sin, and that it is even worse than what they already classified as a grave act of indecency. He mentioned ruku and sujud in particular because negligence most frequently occurs in these two acts, and he described it as “theft” because it is a betrayal of the trust to perform the prayer properly. This is the wording found in al-Tanwir. (1) I.e., he looked and observed closely. Al-Sindi comments: “This is either based on the man’s own assumption, for the Prophet ﷺ at times actually saw what was behind him and at other times only glanced.” (2) I.e., he does not straighten or level his posture; what is intended is composure (tumanina) during bowing and prostration. (3) This is the hadith of Ali b. Shayban, may Allah be pleased with him: he came as a delegate to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, “We prayed behind the Prophet ﷺ and he glanced….” It is reported by Ibn Abi Shayba (1/89/1 = 1/256, no. 2957), Ahmad (4/23), and Ibn Majah (1/284–285) through the chain of Mulazim b. Amr – ‘Abd Allah b. Badr – ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Ali – his father Ali b. Shayban. The chain is sound; all its narrators are trustworthy, as noted in al-Zawaid. He further states: “Ibn Khuzayma and Ibn Hibban also included it in their Sahihs,” a point likewise affirmed in al-Targhib (1/182). See also al-Sahihah, no. 2536.