In summary, the ruling on omitting a pillar [from a rak'ah] (28) is the same as the ruling on omitting the rak'ah in its entirety. [Ahmad explicitly stated this in several places] (29).
Section: The takbirat al-ihram (opening takbir) is distinguished from the other pillars by the fact that the prayer does not commence without it; [because it is the prohibition (tahrīm) of the prayer, as] (30) the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "Its prohibition is the takbir" (31). One does not enter the prayer without it. The standing (qiyam) is distinguished by the fact that it is dropped in voluntary (nafil) prayers; [because it is lengthy and thus difficult, so it is dropped in the supererogatory prayer as an exaggeration in increasing them, just as the turning (towards the qibla) is dropped in it during travel on a riding animal, as an exaggeration in increasing them] (32). The [recitation of al-Fatihah] (33) is distinguished by the fact that it is dropped for the follower (ma'mum); [because his imam's recitation is a recitation for him] (32). The salutation (salam) is distinguished by the fact that if he forgets it (34), he performs it specifically.
213- Issue: He said: (Whoever intentionally omits anything from the takbir, other than the takbirat al-ihram, or the glorification (tasbih) in the bowing (ruku'), or the glorification (1) in the prostration (sujud), or the saying: "Allah hears those who praise Him," or the saying: "Our Lord, to You is the praise," or "My Lord, forgive me, [my Lord, forgive me] (1)," or the first tashahhud, or the prayer upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the final tashahhud, his prayer is invalidated. Whoever omits any of it out of forgetfulness, he performs the two prostrations of forgetfulness).
This is the second category of obligations (wajibāt), and they are eight in number. There are two narrations regarding their obligatory nature: one of them is that they are obligatory, which is the opinion of Ishaq. The other is that they are not obligatory, which is the opinion of
(28) Omitted from the original. (29) In (M): "And Allah knows best." (30) In (M): "For the saying of." (31) Previously mentioned on page 127. (32) Omitted from the original. (33) In (M): "The recitation." (34) In (M): "He omitted it." (1) Omitted from (M).
