If one stands up for a third unit in a shortened prayer, what should he do?

Question : Now, if one stands up for a third unit in a shortened prayer. That is, a traveler stands up for a third unit. This third unit is an addition for the traveler. Is he required to return to a sitting position immediately? Or is he allowed to complete the prayer?

Answer : Yes. Now, this depends on the ruling regarding shortening the prayer. If we hold that shortening is obligatory, then he is required to return to a sitting position. This is the position of Abu Hanifah. The people of the Zahir school hold that it is obligatory for a traveler to shorten the prayer, and that one who completes the prayer in a place where shortening is required is like one who prayed eight units for the midday prayer, because he added half of the prayer. And if we hold that shortening is not obligatory, we say that you are now at liberty to choose between completing the prayer and returning to a sitting position. Because if you complete it, your prayer is not invalidated, and if you return, it is not invalidated because you returned out of fear of adding to it. However, the correct view is that he should return, because this man entered the prayer intending to pray how many units? Two units. So let him pray two units and not add to them.