It is well known that what is established in voluntary prayer is established in obligatory prayer unless there is evidence to the contrary. Does one taslim suffice in the obligatory prayer as it does in the voluntary prayer?
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The questioner : The principle we know is that what is established in voluntary prayer is established in obligatory prayer unless there is evidence to the contrary. You mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say one taslim in voluntary prayer, and you said that this is not permissible in obligatory prayer because the two taslims in obligatory prayer are pillars?
The Shaykh : Unless there is evidence. The evidence is the preservation of this practice in obligatory prayer, and it was not reported from him. As for voluntary prayer, things were reported from him that indicate ease in voluntary prayer rather than obligatory prayer. This is part of the ease in voluntary prayer rather than obligatory prayer.
The questioner : Is this the evidence?
The Shaykh : This is the evidence that prevents us from equating the obligatory prayer with the voluntary prayer. A similar example is that it is established in the hadith of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) that he prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and he would not pass a verse of warning without seeking refuge, nor a verse of mercy without asking for it, nor a verse of glorification without glorifying. Yet this was not reported in obligatory prayer. So we do not say that it is prescribed for a person to do this in obligatory prayer, but if he does it, there is no harm because it does not contradict the prayer.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O Shaykh. If we pray behind a Maliki who says one taslim, and then he does not say a second taslim, what do we do?
The Shaykh : In the obligatory prayer? Say taslim, and there is no harm in saying it twice. You say it twice, like the traveler who prays with the resident congregation; they complete their prayer.
The Shaykh : Unless there is evidence. The evidence is the preservation of this practice in obligatory prayer, and it was not reported from him. As for voluntary prayer, things were reported from him that indicate ease in voluntary prayer rather than obligatory prayer. This is part of the ease in voluntary prayer rather than obligatory prayer.
The questioner : Is this the evidence?
The Shaykh : This is the evidence that prevents us from equating the obligatory prayer with the voluntary prayer. A similar example is that it is established in the hadith of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) that he prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and he would not pass a verse of warning without seeking refuge, nor a verse of mercy without asking for it, nor a verse of glorification without glorifying. Yet this was not reported in obligatory prayer. So we do not say that it is prescribed for a person to do this in obligatory prayer, but if he does it, there is no harm because it does not contradict the prayer.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O Shaykh. If we pray behind a Maliki who says one taslim, and then he does not say a second taslim, what do we do?
The Shaykh : In the obligatory prayer? Say taslim, and there is no harm in saying it twice. You say it twice, like the traveler who prays with the resident congregation; they complete their prayer.