Is ritual bathing (ghusl) considered valid if one forgot to wash the ears in the first half of the bath?

There are three requirements for the ghusl of janabah (ritual bath after major impurity): intention (to remove the major impurity), circulating water with rubbing over the entire body, and continuity (not separating the washing of body parts). Regarding continuity, there are two schools of thought: its sunnah (recommended status) according to the Shafi'is and Hanbalis, and its obligation according to the Malikis, provided one is able and remembers.