✿ Main Hadith and Its Translation
Arabic Text:
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ آدَمَ الْمِصِّيصِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَالِدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلَانَ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: >إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الْإِمَامُ لِيُؤْتَمَّ< بِهِ بِهَذَا الْخَبَرِ… زَادَ: >وَإِذَا قَرَأَ فَأَنْصِتُوا<. قَالَ أَبو دَاود: وَهَذِهِ الزِّيَادَةُ– >وَإِذَا قَرَأَ فَأَنْصِتُوا<- لَيْسَتْ بِمَحْفُوظَةٍ. الْوَهْمُ عِنْدَنَا مِنْ أَبِي خَالِدٍ.
Translation:
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) narrates from the Prophet (ﷺ) that he said:
“The Imam is appointed so that he may be followed.”
And in this narration, the addition was made:
“And when he recites, then remain silent.”
Imam Abu Dawud (رحمه الله) says: This addition — ‘And when he recites, then remain silent’ — is not preserved, and in our view, it is an error from Abu Khalid.
References:
Abu Dawud 604 | Muslim 905
✿ Clarifications by Hadith Scholars (محدثین کی وضاحت)
① Imam Abu Dawud (رحمه الله):
The phrase “وَإِذَا قَرَأَ فَأَنْصِتُوا” is not part of the hadith, and it is considered an error from the narrator Abu Khalid.
Reference: Abu Dawud, Hadith no. 604
② Qatadah (رحمه الله):
The addition “وَإِذَا قَرَأَ فَأَنْصِتُوا” does not appear in the narrations of any of the transmitters of this hadith.
Reference: Sahih Muslim 905
③ Imam Nawawi (رحمه الله):
The phrase “وَإِذَا قَرَأَ فَأَنْصِتُوا” is not proven from the Prophet (ﷺ).
Reference: Sharh Nawawi 1/175
④ Imam Yahya ibn Ma‘een (رحمه الله):
This phrase is not preserved in the hadith.
References:
◈ Ma’rifah al-Sunan wal-Athar (3744)
◈ Nasb al-Rayah 2/12
◈ Quoted by Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani (رحمه الله) in Ahkam al-Masail 1/276
⑤ Imam Abu Hatim al-Razi (رحمه الله):
The phrase “وَإِذَا قَرَأَ فَأَنْصِتُوا” is not authentic and is from the errors of Ibn ‘Ajlan.
Reference: Sunan al-Kubra al-Bayhaqi 2/156
⑥ Hafiz Abu ‘Ali al-Naysapuri (رحمه الله):
The words “وَإِذَا قَرَأَ فَأَنْصِتُوا” are not part of the hadith and are due to narrator’s error.
References:
◈ Sharh Nawawi 1/178
◈ Ahkam al-Masail 1/276
⑦ Imam al-Daraqutni (رحمه الله):
These words are not present in the hadith.
References:
◈ Daraqutni 1/331
◈ Ahkam al-Masail by Imam Ahmad (رحمه الله)
⑧ Hussain ibn ‘Ali al-Hafiz (رحمه الله):
The phrase “وَإِذَا قَرَأَ فَأَنْصِتُوا” is a mistake by Salim ibn Nuh.
Reference: Sunan al-Kubra al-Bayhaqi 2/156
⑨ Abu al-Fadl al-Shahid (رحمه الله):
He states that “وَإِذَا قَرَأَ فَأَنْصِتُوا” is an error by al-Taymi, and not preserved.
Reference: ‘Ilal al-Ahadith 73
⑩ Ibn al-Mulaqqin (رحمه الله):
He affirms that the majority of Hadith masters say:
The phrase “وَإِذَا قَرَأَ فَأَنْصِتُوا” is not authentically proven from the Prophet (ﷺ).
References:
◈ Al-Badr al-Munir 4/481
◈ Also recorded by al-Nasa’i (921)
⑪ Imam al-Dhahli (رحمه الله):
He confirms that the phrase “وَإِذَا قَرَأَ فَأَنْصِتُوا” is not part of this narration from the Prophet (ﷺ).
Reference: Al-Qira’ah Khalfa al-Imam (132)
✿ Summary of Scholarly Consensus
✔ Most hadith scholars (Jumhoor Muhaddithin) unanimously agree that the phrase:
“وَإِذَا قَرَأَ فَأَنْصِتُوا”
“When he recites, then remain silent”
❌ is not authentically established from the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ),
❌ is not a preserved part of the hadith, and
❌ is due to errors of certain narrators, primarily Abu Khalid and Ibn ‘Ajlan.
✅ Conclusion
The addition “وَإِذَا قَرَأَ فَأَنْصِتُوا” found in some narrations is not established from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). It is regarded by the scholars of Hadith as a narrator’s error, and thus, cannot be relied upon for establishing a ruling in Salah regarding remaining silent during the Imam’s recitation.
