Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … Surah al-Fatihah is such an important pillar of prayer (salah) that in this hadith it has itself been called "the prayer." Its division is in terms of meaning: in one part, only the praise and glorification of Allah Ta'ala is mentioned, and in the other part, there is supplication for the servant. Does this hadith mean that {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ} is neither a verse of Surah al-Fatihah nor can it be recited with this surah? In reality, this meaning cannot be clearly derived, because the non-mention of something does not necessitate its non-existence; therefore, the decision regarding {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ … } will be made with the help of other narrations. Furthermore, you yourself should reflect: whether or not {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ} should be recited with al-Fatihah—various ahadith have already been mentioned in the above chapters; please see further:

Sayyidah Umm Salamah radi Allahu anha narrates that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to recite {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ۔ اَلَحْمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِیْنَ} and would pronounce each letter clearly. (Mustadrak Hakim: 847)

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu reports that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ((When you recite {اَلَحْمْدُ لِلّٰہِ}, then recite {بِسْمِاللّٰہِالرَّحْمٰنِالرَّحِیْمِ}, for it is the Mother of the Qur'an, the Mother of the Book, the Seven Oft-Repeated (verses), and {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ} is one of them.)) That is, when you recite {اَلَحْمْدُ لِلّٰہِ}, then also recite {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ}; this (Surah al-Fatihah) is the Mother of the Qur'an, the Mother of the Book, and the Seven Oft-Repeated (i.e., the seven verses that are recited repeatedly), and {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ} is one of its verses. (Silsilah Ahadith Sahihah: 1183, with reference to Dar Qutni: 118, Bayhaqi: 2/45, Daylami: 1/1/70)

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik radi Allahu anhu says: Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah radi Allahu anhu led the prayer in Madinah Munawwarah, recited aloud, and before Surah al-Fatihah, he recited {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ}, but with the surah after al-Fatihah, he did not recite {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ … }. When Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah radi Allahu anhu finished the prayer with salam, the Muhajirun and Ansar (objecting) spoke up from all sides and said: O Mu'awiyah! You have stolen something from the prayer (by not reciting Bismillah with the second surah) or have you forgotten? (Sayyiduna Amir Mu'awiyah radi Allahu anhu understood, and) after this incident, when he led the prayer, he also recited {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ} with the surah after al-Fatihah and said Allahu Akbar when going into prostration. (Mustadrak Hakim: 851)

Naeem Mujmir says: I prayed behind Abu Hurairah, and he recited {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ}, then recited the Mother of the Qur'an (al-Fatihah), and when he reached {غَیْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَیْہِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّیْنَ}, he said: Ameen, and the people also said: Ameen. And whenever he prostrated, he said: Allahu Akbar, and when he stood up from sitting after two rak'ahs, he said: Allahu Akbar. And when he finished with salam, he said: By Him in Whose hand is my soul! I am the one among you whose prayer most closely resembles the prayer of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. (Sunan Nasa'i: 906, Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 1/251, Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar: 1/137)

That is: I prayed behind Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu, he recited {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ}, then recited Surah al-Fatihah, and when he reached {غَیْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَیْہِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّیْنَ}, he said Ameen, and the people also said Ameen. When he went into prostration, he said Allahu Akbar, and likewise, when he stood up after two rak'ahs, he said Allahu Akbar. When he finished with salam, he said: By Him in Whose hand is my soul! I am the one among you whose prayer most closely resembles the prayer of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

Imam Tirmidhi said: The opinion of many scholars among the Companions and the Followers (Tabi'in), including Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna Umar, Sayyiduna Uthman, and Sayyiduna Ali, as well as Imam Sufyan Thawri, Imam Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, Imam Ahmad, and Imam Ishaq rahimahumullah jami'an, is that {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ} should not be recited aloud, but rather it should be recited silently in the heart. (After Tirmidhi: 244)

He also said: The view of some Companions, including Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas, and Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Zubair, and some of the Followers, is that (in audible prayers, along with al-Fatihah) {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ} should also be recited aloud; this is also the opinion of Imam Shafi'i rahimahullah. (After Tirmidhi: 245)

Honored readers! Reflect on all the above-mentioned narrations related to this subject; the way to reconcile and harmonize them appears to be that the narrations in which the negation of {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ … } is mentioned, what is meant is the negation of reciting it aloud, and this was the predominant practice of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Occasionally, it is established from him that he recited it aloud. The Companions who strictly forbade reciting this verse were not aware of the ahadith that establish its recitation. Do not consider this claim impossible or far-fetched, because those who establish the recitation of {بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ … } aloud, both narratively and practically, are also Companions. In many other issues, such reconciliations and harmonizations exist. Our responsibility is to understand whatever is established from the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam on a particular subject and to try to act upon it, unless a case of abrogation (naskh) arises.