Is the final Salam (salutation) a mandatory pillar for exiting the prayer?
Chapter on the Description of Prayer
Al-Mughni
Book of Prayer
Primary text
When one finishes their prayer and intends to exit it, performing Salam to the right and then to the left is obligatory, and nothing else can replace it. This view is held by Malik and Al-Shafi'i. The evidence is the Hadith: 'The key to prayer is purification, its prohibition is the Takbir, and its dissolution is the Salam.' Furthermore, the Prophet (PBUH) continuously performed the two Salams and never omitted them, commanding: 'Pray as you have seen me praying.'
Supporting text
Abu Hanifa does not hold that Salam is specifically required for exiting prayer; he permits exiting through any act or physical interruption (*hadath*) that contradicts the prayer, though Salam remains recommended and not obligatory. Their evidence is that the Prophet (PBUH) did not teach the Salam to the man who prayed incorrectly, implying that if it were obligatory, he would have commanded it, as delaying necessary explanation is impermissible. They also argue that since one of the two Salams is not obligatory, the other cannot be either.