[3/ 20] The lack of quiescence in Ruk?‘ and when rising from it:
Zaid Ibn Wahb related that Huthaifah once saw a man [doing Sal?t] performing his Ruk?‘ and Suj?d so fast. He [Huthaifah] said to him, ‘You have not performed Sal?t, and if you died on such a state, you would die on a state opposite to the pure Fitrah with which All?h ( - عز وجل -) sent Muhammad ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -). (1)
This ‘Athar indicates the obligation of being in a state of quiescence in both Ruk?‘ and Suj?d, the lack of which renders one’s Sal?t invalid. This event resembles that which happened at the time of the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) and was related by Ab? Hurairah ( - رضي الله عنه -) ; he ( - رضي الله عنه -) said: The prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) entered the mosque and then a man followed him and performed Sal?t. Having done the Sal?t, the man came to the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) and greeted him. The prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) returned the greeting and said, ‘Go back and perform Sal?t again, for indeed you have not performed Sal?t [in such a manner]’. He ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) said this three times [after each of which the man repeated his Sal?t in the same manner he did before]. The man then said: ‘By him who sent you with the Truth, I can’t do better than that. Teach me [how to perform Sal?t properly].
(1) Narrated by Al-Bukh?r? in his “Sah?h’ (vol. 2 / pp. 274 - 5) (no. 791). Ahmad’s narration states as follows, ‘ How long have you been observing Sal?t? The man answered: ‘For forty years’.
Considering the apparent meaning of the words in this narration, one seems to doubt it; that is why Al-Bukh?r? hadn’t mentioned it in his “Sah?h”. Huthaifah died in 36 H; accordingly, the man should have began observing Sal?t 4 years or more prior to Hijrah and Sal?t had not been imposed on muslims yet. The words “For forty years” may carry a figurative meaning that suggests exaggeration, as Al-H?fith infered in his “Al-Fath” (vol. 2 / p. 275).
I actually heard many Khutab?’ and those who preach mention this narration [of Ahmad]so frequently with a little difference. They say, ‘Huthaifah asked the man: How long have you been observing Sal?t? The man Said: ‘For sixty years’. Huthaifah then said’ ‘Indeed you have not observed [the proper] Sal?t for sixty years’.
The number mentioned in this narration is an avowed falsehood, for it entails that this man has been observing Sal?t even before the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) was sent with the message of Isl?m.
Accordingly, you should - dear muslim brother - be alert of such narrations. For more details see: “At-Ta‘?lum” by Bakr Ab? Zeid (pp. 70 - 1).