He interpreted Prophets(SAW) acts as conveying recommendation. He held that as
prostrations, in the view of the majority, do not become a substitute for an bligation, but are a substitute for a recommended act; therefore, a substitute
for something that is not obligatory cannot be obligatory.
Imam Abu Hanifa
Obligation(as one of the conditions of the validity of
prayer)
Abu Hanifa interpreted the acts of the Prophet (God's peace and
blessings be upon him) as obligatory, as that is the principle in his view, for they occur as an elaboration of an obligatory act. The Prophet (God’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Pray as you see me praying ".
Imam Malik
Prostrations of forgetfulness that are
performed because of deficient acts are obligatory. It is also reported from him that prostrations on account of deficiency are
obligatory and prostrations on account of excess are recommended.
For Imam Malik there was
greater emphasis on the acts as compared to the words, for they form the
structure for the prayer more than the words(the obligations that are
related to acts are more than those related to words) Thus, it was as if he held that there is greater emphasis for the acts as compared to words
His distinction between prostrations made on account of deficiency
and those made for excess, in accordance with the second narration, is based
on the fact that the prostrations on account of deficiency are stipulated as
compensation for what is dropped from the acts of the prayer, while
prostrations on account of excess are like a repentance not a substitute.
Tags :
Worship, Salah, Prayer, prostration of forgetfullness,forget