Ruling on Reciting Taʿawwudh and Bismillah Silently in Salah

Taken from: "Ahkam wa Masail in the Light of the Qur’an and Hadith", Volume 02

❀ Question:​

If a person does not recite Taʿawwudh (Aʿūdhu billāh...) and Bismillah aloud during prayer, does it invalidate the prayer? Please explain based on Qur’an and Sunnah.

❀ Answer:​

**✦ No, reciting Taʿawwudh and Bismillah silently does not cause any deficiency or invalidity in the prayer.

✿ Reciting​

There is no narration from the Prophet ﷺ proving that he recited Taʿawwudh aloud during prayer. Therefore, reciting it silently is in accordance with the Sunnah.

✿ Reciting​

There are two types of narrations about Bismillah:

• Some narrations state that the Prophet ﷺ and his companions did not recite Bismillah aloud.
• Others show that some companions, like Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه, recited it aloud.

Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه said:
"I prayed behind the Prophet ﷺ, Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthmān رضي الله عنهم; none of them used to recite Bismillah aloud."
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Salah, Bab Hujjat man Qala La Yajhar bil-Basmalah)


Naʿīm al-Mujmir said:
"I prayed behind Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه. He recited Bismillah al-Rahmān al-Rahīm aloud, then he recited Sūrat al-Fātiḥah."
(Narrated by al-Nasa’i and Ibn Khuzaymah, cited in Bulugh al-Maram)

✿ Scholarly Conclusion:​

• Both silent and audible recitation of Bismillah are established.
• The dominant practice of the Prophet ﷺ and the majority of companions was to recite silently.
• Taʿawwudh is always recited silently.
• Whether recited aloud or silently, neither invalidates the prayer, nor causes any deficiency.

✔ Summary:​

① Taʿawwudh is not recited aloud in Salah; silence is the Sunnah.
② Bismillah may be recited aloud or silently; both are valid practices.
③ Not reciting them aloud does not harm or invalidate the prayer.
Wallāhu Aʿlam.