وعن أنس رضى الله عنه ، قال: صليت مع النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وأبي بكر وعمر وعثمان فلم أسمع أحدا منهم يقرأ بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, saying: “I prayed with the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), and I did not hear any of them recite بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم.”
Research and takhrij: Muslim 399
وفي رواية الأوزاعي عن قتادة ، أنه كتب إليه يخبره عن أنس (بن مالك)، أنه حدثه قال: صليت خلف النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وأبي بكر وعمر وعثمان فكانوا يستفتحون بالحمد لله ربالعالمين ، لا يذكرون بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم فى أول قراءة ولا فى آخرها
In the narration of al-Awza’i, it is mentioned from Qatadah that he wrote a letter to him, informing him on the authority of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that he told him, saying: “I prayed behind the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them). They would begin the recitation with الحمد لله رب العالمين, and at the beginning or end of the recitation they did not say بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم.”
Research and takhrij: Muslim: 399, via al-Awza’i
وعن نعيم المجمر، قال: صليت وراء أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه فقرأ بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم، ثم قرأبأم القرآن حتى بلغ ولا الضالين؛ فقال: آمين؛ فقال الناس: آمين. [وكان] يقول كلما سجد: الله أكبر، فإذا قام من الجلوس (قال): الله أكبر، ويقول إذا سلم: والذي نفسي بيده إني لا شبهكم صلاة برسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
Nu’aym al-Mujmir narrated, saying: “I prayed behind Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him). He recited بسم الرحمن الرحيم, then recited Surah al-Fatihah until he reached ولا الضالين, and then he said: Amin, and the people said: Amin. Whenever he prostrated he would say Allahu Akbar, and when he rose from sitting he would say Allahu Akbar. When he finished the salam, he said: ‘By the One in whose hand is my soul, I am the most similar of you to the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.'” This was narrated by Hafiz Abu Muhammad ibn al-Jarud, and al-Daraqutni and al-Bayhaqi narrated it, and they mentioned that the narrators of this hadith are trustworthy (thiqah).
Research and takhrij: This hadith is sahih (authentic).
al-Nasa’i: 2/134, Ibn Khuzaymah: 499, al-Daraqutni: 1/306, 305, saying that this hadith is sahih and all its narrators are trustworthy. al-Bayhaqi: 58/2, Mustadrak al-Hakim: 1/232; al-Hakim declared this hadith sahih on the condition of the two Shaykhs, and Allamah al-Dhahabi agreed with him.
Benefits:
➊ بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم is by consensus part of every surah.
➋ In prayer, at the time of recitation, one begins with بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم, i.e., before Surah al-Fatihah, and before every surah بسم الله is to be recited.
➌ There is a difference of opinion on whether بسم الله should be recited aloud or silently in prayer. According to the muhaddithin, reciting it silently is better, while reciting it aloud is also permissible. The preponderant view is also that بسم الله should be recited aloud. The Ahnaf do not hold the view of reciting it aloud.
➍ There is no contradiction among these various narrations. Some indicate reciting Bismillah aloud, while others indicate reciting it silently.
➎ Umm al-Kitab or Fatihat al-Kitab are names of Surah al-Fatihah. It is permissible for both the imam and the follower to say آمين aloud.
➏ Every lowering and raising (of the body) is accompanied by takbir. Takbir informs of moving from one pillar (rukn) to another. It is necessary for the imam to say the takbir clearly so that the followers can follow him in time.
➐ Swearing by Allah to further affirm a statement or action is permissible.
➑ Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) was an expert in the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and his prayer was closest to the prayer of the Prophet ﷺ.
➒ All souls are in the power of Allah.
