sits tranquil and composed. The distinctive posture thus differentiates the two tashahhuds and reminds the worshipper of his state in each. Moreover, Abu Humayd mentioned this description of the Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him – only for the sitting in the second tashahhud: he first described the sitting in the initial tashahhud as iftirash, then said, “When he sat in the last rak‘ah,” and in another wording, “When he sat in the fourth rak‘ah.” It is therefore fitting to cite the proofs advanced by each of the previously mentioned schools so that the correct view may become evident: 1. The first school adduces three hadiths. a) ʿAishah reported: “In every two rakʿahs the Messenger of Allah would recite the tashahhud, spreading his left foot and erecting his right foot …” (cited earlier under “Opening the Prayer”). In its general wording this is an explicit proof, for she mentioned the posture immediately after saying, “In every two rakʿahs the tashahhud,” which appears to state that he used it in every pair of rakʿahs. Yet, although the report is in Sahih Muslim, its chain is interrupted, as we explained there. Had it been sound, we would have accepted iftirash in the final tashahhud as permissible and sometimes sunnah, but it is not sound. b) Wail b. Hujr narrated: “When he sat for the tashahhud he spread his left foot and sat upon it, placed his left palm on his left thigh, rested his right elbow on his right thigh, clasped his fingers, formed a ring with the thumb and middle finger, and then began supplicating with the other hand.” Reported by al-Nasai (1/141), al-Darimi (1/314), Ahmad (4/318), and al-Tahawi