Among the practices recommended while reciting is his citation: “Al-Nawawī said: It is sunnah for anyone who is reciting—whether inside the prayer or outside it—that, when he comes upon a verse of mercy, he ask Allah the Exalted for His bounty, and when he comes upon …”

I say: This has only been reported with respect to the night prayer, as in the ḥadith of Ḥudhayfah that will be mentioned in the book shortly. Sound adherence therefore requires us to confine ourselves to what has actually been transmitted and not to expand the matter by analogy or personal opinion; for had it also been prescribed in the obligatory prayers, the Prophet ﷺ would have practiced it, and had he done so it would certainly have been reported—indeed, reporting it in the obligatory prayers would have deserved priority over narrating it in the voluntary ones, as is plain.

Know, too, that what I have stated here does not contradict the principle upon which I shall later rely to establish the legitimacy of sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ in the first tashahhud, contrary to what one of our brothers—diligent in the service of the noble ḥadith, may Allah reward him—supposed in a letter he wrote to me dated 2/8/1397 AH. The reason is that a proof exists here that establishes a distinction, which I hinted at when I said: “for had that been prescribed in the obligatory prayers as well, the Prophet ﷺ would have done it …,” and so forth. Human zeal and concern would certainly have ensured the transmission of such a practice; since it has not been transmitted, this shows that he ﷺ did not do it. We therefore stand by the evidence that prevents us, in this case, from applying the aforementioned principle, and it becomes clear that there is no contradiction—praise be to Allah—only adherence to the proof that obliges us to differentiate between the two issues. Allah knows best.

His statement: “It is recommended for anyone who recites, ‘Is not Allah the best of judges?’ (95:8) to say, ‘Indeed, yes, and I am among those who testify to that.’ When he recites, ‘Is not that [Lord] able to give life to the dead?’ (75:40) he should say, ‘Indeed, yes, I bear witness.’ When he recites, ‘Then in what statement after it will they believe?’ (77:50) he should say, ‘I believe in Allah.’ And when he recites, ‘Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High’ (87:1) he should say, ‘Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.’”