"it is apparent that he interrupted the prayer; however, al-Bayhaqī mentioned that Muḥammad ibn ʿAbbād, the teacher of Muslim, uniquely reported from Ibn ʿUyaynah with his statement: "then he gave salām," and that the ḥuffāẓ among the companions of Ibn ʿUyaynah, as well as those of his teacher ʿAmr ibn Dīnār, and likewise the companions of Jābir, did not mention the salām. It seems he understood that this phrase indicates that the man interrupted the prayer, because the salām releases one from the prayer, while other narrations indicate that he only interrupted following the imam and did not exit the prayer, but rather continued it individually." Then he mentioned the disagreement between al-Rāfiʿī and al-Nawawī regarding the implication of the ḥadīth; whether it means only interrupting following the imam or interrupting and invalidating the prayer. The first opinion was attributed to al-Rāfiʿī, and the latter to al-Nawawī. This is what I leaned towards in "al-Irwāʾ" (1/331), and I mentioned there a rebuttal to the ḥāfiẓ that if the intention was only to interrupt following the imam, there would be no justification for the mentioned departure to a side of the mosque, as it involves much movement that invalidates the prayer, as is evident. I supported this with the narration of Muslim: "he gave salām, then prayed alone," and I said: "This is explicit in what we mentioned. And Allāh knows best." Now, it has become clear beyond doubt that it is an irregular and incorrect narration; so I have retracted using it as evidence, and the other narrations suffice. All praise is due to Allāh for His guidance, and I ask Him for more of His bounty. This; and the ḥadīth of Jābir has a corroborating narration from the ḥadīth of Buraydah with a sound chain of transmission, recorded in "al-Irwāʾ," in which it states: "A man left before completing his prayer, then departed." This supports the interruption and invalidation. And Allāh knows best.