Is it necessary to have an explicit text indicating that an action of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, is a clarification of a general ruling, or is his performing it in a certain way sufficient for it to be considered a clarification of that ruling and to take its legal status?

The way to know that an action of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is an explanation of something ambiguous is either through a statement from him, peace and blessings be upon him, or through an indication that points to that.

Scholars have found it problematic to mandate all parts of an action that explains an obligatory command, such as prayer and Hajj. This is because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to perform actions with all their obligatory, recommended, and permissible parts. Inductive reasoning indicates that many explanatory actions include actions not intended by the ambiguous command. Most of what the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did in prayer and Hajj is recommended, not obligatory.

The traditions used to infer the obligatoriness of all his actions, peace and blessings be upon him, such as "Pray as you have seen me praying" and "Take your rituals from me," are countered by stating that the first is guidance for a specific group, newly embracing Islam, and is not a general rule. The second does not necessarily mean observing his actions specifically.

In summary, the actions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in prayer and Hajj do not distinguish between the obligatory and the recommended, except by a specific action for which there is a special indication that it is an explanation for that.