After Takbeer-e-Tahreema, recite the Dua-e-Istiftah
Various supplications have been transmitted in different ahadith, any one of which is sufficient to recite. However, the most authentic among them is the supplication narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) in the Sahihayn. (That is, the following first supplication).
➊ اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتُ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ ، اللَّهُمْ نَقْنِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا يُنقى الثوبُ الْأبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، اَللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْنِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ
“O Allah, distance me from my sins as You have distanced the East from the West. O Allah! Cleanse me of my sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. O Allah! Wash away my sins with water, snow, and hail.”
➋ It is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to say at the beginning of the prayer:
سُبحَانَكَ اللهُم وَ بِحَمْدِكَ وَ تَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلَا إِلَهُ غَيْرُ .
➌ A narration from Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) includes this supplication:
وَجْهُتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا مُسْلِمًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ إِنْ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَلَمِينَ الخ
➍ In the narration of Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them), these words are mentioned:
اللهم لك الحمدُ اَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَكَ الحمد أنتَ قِيَامُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ الخ
➎ Another narration contains this supplication:
“اللهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرًا (three times) وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ كَثِيرًا (three times) وَسُبْحَنَ اللهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا (three times)”
(Shafi’i) In the supplication of Istiftah, the hadith of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) إنى وجهت وجهي … is considered preferable.
(Abu Hanifa) Prefers the hadith of Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), that is: سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك ...
(Malik) Besides the supplication of Istiftah, the prayer should begin with Surah Al-Fatiha. His evidence is this hadith:
كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم و أبو بكر و عمر يفتتحون الصلاة بالحمد لله رب العلمين
“The Prophet (peace be upon him), Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to begin the prayer with الحمد الله رب العلمين.”
(Refer) The supplication of Istiftah is established in various ahadith with different words; therefore, choosing any one of them is sufficient. والله اعلم
(Shawkani) It is undoubtedly established that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to recite the supplication of Istiftah after the first Takbir and seek refuge (Ta’awwudh) before beginning the recitation.
Seeking refuge is Sunnah
➊ Allah the Exalted says:
فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِدُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّحِيمِ
“When you begin to recite the Qur’an, seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan.”
➋ It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) stood for prayer, he would recite the opening supplication and then say
أعُوذُ بِاللهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ مِنْ هَمْزِهِ وَنَفْخِهِ وَنَفَيهِ
➌ Other words for seeking refuge are also established, for example:
اَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ and أَسْتَعِيدُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيم
(Abu Hanifa, Shafi’i, Ahmad) It is Sunnah to seek refuge before recitation in prayer. Imam Hasan, Imam Ibn Sirin, Imam Ata, Imam Thawri, Imam Awza’i, Imam Ishaq (may Allah have mercy on them all) and the companions of opinion hold this position.
(Malik) It should not be said to seek refuge.
Seeking refuge is to be said after the opening supplication, as in the previous narration from Hazrat Abu Saeed (may Allah be pleased with him) and in the narration from Hazrat Jubair bin Mut’im (may Allah be pleased with him) who saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) pray and say الله اكبر كبيرا three times, الحمد لله كثيرا three times, سبحان الله بكرة وأصيلا three times (then said) أعوذ بالله من الشيطان من نفخه ونفثه و همزه
Should Ta’awwudh be recited in every Rak’ah?
Sheikh Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) argues from the generality of this verse: فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللهِ… and considers it prescribed in every Rak’ah, further stating that this is the more correct view in the Shafi’i school of thought, and Imam Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) also preferred this view.
(Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him)) In our school of thought, the more correct view is that reciting Ta’awwudh in every Rak’ah is recommended. Imam Ibn Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) also holds this view.
(Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him)) Ta’awwudh is specific only to the first Rak’ah. Imam Ata (may Allah have mercy on him), Imam Nakha’i (may Allah have mercy on him), and Imam Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him) also hold this position.
(The preferred view) Ta’awwudh should be recited only in the first Rak’ah, as the following Hadith clearly proves:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا نهض من الركعة الثانية استفتح القراءة بالحمد لله رب العلمين
“When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) rose from the second Rak’ah, he would begin recitation with الحمد لله رب العلمين.”
It is understood that when the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has been transmitted regarding this, reasoning from the generality of the Quranic verse is not correct.
(Shawkani (may Allah have mercy on him)) holds the same view.
(Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him)) When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up (for any Rak’ah), he would begin recitation and would not remain silent as he did at the beginning of the prayer.
(Sayyid Sabiq (may Allah have mercy on him)) prefers this view.
Recitation of Bismillah after seeking refuge
Reciting بسم الله before Surah Al-Fatiha is recommended, but scholars have differed in its ruling.
(Shafi’i) It is obligatory like Surah Al-Fatiha.
(Malik) It is disliked both silently and aloud.
(Ahmad, Abu Hanifa) Reciting Bismillah is recommended.
The truth is that its recitation is established from the Sunnah of the Prophet and it is a verse of every Surah.
◈ After its establishment, there is a difference of opinion on whether it should be recited aloud or silently.
(Shafi’i) Reciting aloud is Sunnah.
(Jumhoor, Abu Hanifa, Ahmad) Reciting aloud is not Sunnah.
Imam Tirmidhi states that most scholars among the Companions and the Followers acted upon this (i.e., the majority’s view), including the four Caliphs, Hazrat Ibn Mas’ud, Hazrat Ibn Zubair, and Hazrat Ammar, may Allah be pleased with them.
Those who hold that reciting silently is Sunnah base their arguments on the following:
➊ It is narrated from Hazrat Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: I prayed with the Prophet, Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat Umar, and Hazrat Uthman, may Allah be pleased with them:
فلم أسمع أحدا منهم يقرأ بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
“I never heard any of them reciting بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم.”
➋ In another narration:
فكانوا لا يجهرون بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
“(Hazrat Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, says that the Prophet and other Companions) did not recite بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم aloud.”
➌ In a narration of Sahih Muslim:
وكامرا يستفتحون بالحمد لله رب العلمين لا يذكرون بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم فى أول قراءة ولا آخرها
(Hazrat Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, says that all these people) started the prayer with الحمد لله رب العلمين and did not recite بسم الله at the beginning or end of the recitation.”
➍ Imam Ibn Khuzaymah also narrated in one narration the phrase وكانوا يسرون “They used to recite بسم الله silently.”
Hafiz Ibn Hajar states that Imam Muslim’s negation should be understood in this context, contrary to those who considered it a causal factor.
Arguments of those who hold that reciting بسم الله aloud is Sunnah:
➊ It is narrated from Hazrat Nu’aym Mujmir, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: I prayed behind Hazrat Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him:
فقرأ بسم الرحيم ثم قرأ بأم القرآن …..
“He first recited بسم الله, then after that recited Surah Al-Fatiha.”
In the same narration, these words appear that Hazrat Abu Hurairah said:
والذين نفسي بيده إني لأشبهكم صلاة برسول الله
“By the One in Whose hand is my soul, indeed I resemble the Messenger of Allah in the performance of prayer among you.”
➋ Hazrat Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, was asked about the Prophet’s recitation, and he replied:
كانت مدا ثم قرأ بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم يمد ”بسم الله“ ويمد ”بالرحمان“ ويمد ”بالرحيم“
“The Prophet’s recitation was with prolongation (madd). Then he recited بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم and said that the letter بسم الله (the lam of Allah) is recited with prolongation, الرحمن (the meem) is recited with prolongation, and الرحيم (the haa) is recited with prolongation.”
➌ It is narrated from Hazrat Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he prayed:
و جهر بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم وقال أقتدى بصلاة رسول الله
“And recited بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم aloud and said I am following the prayer of the Messenger of Allah.”
(Albani) The truth is that there is no explicit authentic hadith about reciting بسم الله aloud.
(Refer) Both ways are permissible and lawful, but the hadiths about reciting silently are more authentic and clear.
(Ibn Taymiyyah) Reciting silently is Sunnah in general times, while reciting aloud is also permissible at certain times.
(Ibn Qayyim) The Prophet recited بسم الله aloud but recited it more often in a low voice than loudly.
(Shawkani) Both ways are permissible.
(Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri) In my view, reciting silently is more preferable than reciting aloud.
Note that the hadiths which do not mention بسم الله should be understood as the narrator’s lack of knowledge or that its recitation was silent.
