and turning away, as in the hadith of Dhu al-Yadayn, so prostrating is more appropriate.

The Second Section: That he does not prostrate after a long duration. There is disagreement regarding the defining of the duration within which he may prostrate. According to the statement of Al-Khiraqi, he may prostrate as long as he is in the mosque; if he leaves, he does not prostrate. Ahmad explicitly stated this, and it is the opinion of Al-Hakam and Ibn Shubrumah. Al-Qadi said: "One refers back to custom regarding whether an interval is long or short," and this is a statement of Al-Shafi'i (4); because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) returned to the mosque after leaving it in the hadith of 'Imran ibn Husayn (5), so prostrating is more appropriate. Ibn Abi Musa narrated another report from Ahmad, that he prostrates even if he has left and moved far away, and this is a second opinion of Al-Shafi'i; because it is a compensatory act that he performs after (6) a long time, like the compensatory acts of Hajj. This is the opinion of Malik if it is for an addition, but if it is for an omission, he performs it as long as the interval has not been long, because it is for completing the prayer. Our evidence is that it is for completing the prayer, so he should not perform it after a long interval, like any of the pillars of prayer, and as if it were for an omission. We have limited it to the mosque because it is the place of prayer and its setting, so duration is considered within it, like the option of the session (khiyar al-majlis).

The Third Section: That whenever he prostrates for forgetfulness, he should say the takbir for the prostration and for rising from it, regardless of whether its place (7) is before the taslim or after it. If it is before the taslim, he performs the taslim immediately after it. If it is after it, he recites the tashahhud and performs the taslim, whether its place was after the taslim or it was before the taslim but he forgot it until after it. This is the opinion of Ibn Mas'ud, Al-Nakha'i, Qatadah, Al-Hakam, Hammad, Al-Thawri, Al-Awza'i, Al-Shafi'i, and the scholars of opinion regarding the tashahhud and the taslim (8). Anas, Al-Hasan, and 'Ata' said: "There is no tashahhud or taslim in them." Ibn Sirin and Ibn al-Mundhir said: "There is a taslim in them without a tashahhud." Ibn al-Mundhir said: "The taslim in them is established from more than one source, but the establishment of the tashahhud requires examination."