Al-Zuhri, al-Awza'i, Malik, and al-Shafi'i permitted it if he was close to the row. The third situation is if he raises his head from bowing and then enters the row, or if another person comes and stands with him before completing the unit. This is the situation to which al-Khiraqi’s statement, "And Ahmad stated," is applied. So whenever he is ignorant of the prohibition of that, his prayer is valid, but if he knows, it is not valid. Abu Dawud narrated from Ahmad that it is valid, and he did not differentiate. This is the school of Malik, al-Shafi'i, and the jurists (Ashab al-Ra'y), because Abu Bakrah did that, and those whom we mentioned among the Companions did it as well.
Our evidence is what was narrated that Abu Bakrah reached the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) while he was bowing, so he bowed before reaching the row. He mentioned that to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: "May Allah increase your keenness, but do not do it again." Narrated by al-Bukhari (2), and narrated by Abu Dawud (2), and its wording is: That Abu Bakrah arrived while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was bowing, so he bowed outside the row, then walked to the row. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) finished the prayer, he said: "Which of you is the one who bowed outside the row, then walked to the row?" Abu Bakrah said: "I am." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "May Allah increase your keenness, but do not do it again." He did not command him to repeat the prayer, but he forbade him from repeating the act, and prohibition implies invalidity. If it is said: "He only forbade him from laziness and lagging behind in prayer," we say: The prohibition reverts to what was mentioned, and what was mentioned is bowing outside the row. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not attribute it to laziness; rather, he attributed it to keenness and prayed for him to have an increase in it. So how could he forbid him from laziness when he is attributed to its opposite? It was narrated from Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) another narration that his prayer is not valid, whether he was knowledgeable or ignorant, because he did not attain in the row that which allows him to count the unit, resembling what would happen if he prayed a complete unit. The hadith of Abu Bakrah is interpreted according to this, based on the fact that he entered the row before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) raised his head.
(2) Part of it preceded on page 50. It was recorded by al-Bukhari in the chapter: "If one bows outside the row," from the Book of the Adhan (Sahih al-Bukhari 1/198, 199). And Abu Dawud in the chapter: "The man who bows outside the row," from the Book of Prayer (Sunan Abi Dawud 1/157, 158). It was also recorded by al-Nasa'i in the chapter: "Bowing outside the row," from the Book of Leadership (al-Mujtaba 2/91). And Imam Ahmad in the Musnad 5/39, 42, 45, 46, 50.
