another [view]: he prays one rak'ah with the first [group] and two rak'ahs with the second; because it is narrated from Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that he prayed the night of Al-Harir in this manner. Also, because the first group attained with him the virtue of the opening takbir and precedence, it is appropriate that the second group should increase in rak'ahs to compensate for their deficiency and become equal to the first. Our argument is that if there is no escape from preferring one, the first is more entitled to it. Furthermore, what the second group missed is compensated for by their catching the greeting with the Imam, and because they perform all of their prayer in the state of following, whereas the first group performs part of their prayer in the state of acting individually. Whichever of these he performs is permissible according to what we have previously established. Is it allowed for the first group to separate from him during the tashahhud, or when he stands for the third rak'ah? There are two viewpoints regarding this. When he prays the third rak'ah with the second group and sits for the tashahhud, the group stands and does not perform the tashahhud with him, as mentioned by Al-Qadi, because it is not a place for their tashahhud, unlike in the four-rak'ah prayer. It is also possible that they should perform the tashahhud with him because they are making up two consecutive rak'ahs according to one of the two narrations, which leads to them praying three rak'ahs with a single tashahhud, and there is no parallel to this in the prayers. Therefore, based on this possibility, they perform the first tashahhud with him, then stand, just like the four-rak'ah prayer exactly.

Section: It is recommended to carry weapons in the prayer of fear, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: "And let them take their precaution and their weapons." Also, because they are not secure from their enemy taking them by surprise and descending upon them, as Allah the Exalted said: "Those who disbelieve wish that you would neglect your weapons and your baggage so they could swoop down upon you in a single attack." The recommended [types of weapons] are those with which one can defend himself, such as a sword and a knife. It should not be heavy, such as a breastplate (jawshan), and it should not prevent the completion of prostration, such as a helmet (maghfar), nor should it be something that harms others, such as a spear if it is of medium length. If it is on the side, it is not disliked. It is not permissible to carry an impure substance, nor anything that would invalidate one of the pillars of the prayer, except in cases of necessity, such as if he fears being struck by stones or arrows, in which case it is permissible for him to carry it due to necessity. Our companions said: Carrying a weapon is not obligatory. This is the view of Abu Hanifah, the majority of scholars, and one of the two views of Al-Shafi'i; because if it were obligatory, it would be a condition of the prayer like the sutrah, and because the command for it was for their gentleness and protection, not for obligation, just as when the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) forbade continuous fasting (wisal) as an act of kindness to them, it was not for prohibition. It is also possible that it is obligatory, and this is the view of Dawud and Al-Shafi'i in the other narration, and the evidence supports them; because the literal meaning of a command is obligation, and it has been accompanied by that which indicates the intention of obligation, which is the saying of Allah the Exalted: "There is no sin upon you if you have an annoyance from rain or are ill that you put down your weapons." The negation of blame conditional upon harm is proof of its necessity when there is no harm. As for if they are troubled by rain or illness, it is not obligatory without dispute, by the clear declaration of the text negating blame in that instance.

Section: It is permissible to pray the prayer of fear in any manner the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) prayed it. Ahmad said: Every hadith reported in the chapters of the prayer of fear may be acted upon. He said: There are six or seven manners reported, all of which are permissible. Al-Athram said: I said to Abu 'Abd Allah: Do you follow all the hadiths, each hadith in its place, or do you choose one of them? He replied: I say that whoever follows all of them, it is good, but as for the hadith of Sahl, I choose it. Once this is established, we shall mention the manners that have reached us in which the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) prayed, and we have mentioned from them...