Discussion of the pointing with the finger between the two prostrations.

It mentions the pointing with the finger between the two prostrations. The context does not help us except to say that, from the perspective of Arabic style, we cannot understand from this context anything other than that it means the pointing between the two prostrations. But when we compare this narration with the other narrations mentioned earlier from Wā’il ibn Ḥujr, and this specific hadith which contains the pointing between the two prostrations, it came also through the route of ʿĀṣim ibn Kulayb from his father from Wā’il. In my mind, Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated it through the route of ʿAbd al-Razzāq, who said: Sufyān narrated to us, who said: ʿĀṣim ibn Kulayb narrated to us from his father from Wā’il ibn Ḥujr. He mentioned some of the description of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) prayer, then mentioned the first prostration, and when he raised his head sitting between the two prostrations, he mentioned the pointing, then prostrated. So if one looks at this chain of narration separately from the other narrations from ʿĀṣim ibn Kulayb, it is said that its chain is authentic. In all the routes from ʿĀṣim, we find a great difference between those routes from ʿĀṣim, in that they all agreed on mentioning the pointing in the tashahhud without addressing [the pointing between the prostrations].