Among these were the takbīrs in funeral prayers: according to the well-known view, he permitted four, five, or seven, although he preferred four.

The other jurists, however, select some of these forms and regard others as disliked. Some, such as Abū Hanīfa, regard repeating the two testimonies in the call to prayer as disliked, while others, such as al-Shāfiī, regard omitting this repetition as disliked. Some, such as al-Shāfiī, regard doubling the formulas of the iqāma as disliked, while others regard reciting them singly as disliked. Matters among their followers went so far that this became a form of pre-Islamic ignorance: in some eastern lands, they began fighting one another over it out of pre-Islamic partisan zeal. Yet all these forms are good and were instructed by the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He instructed Bilāl to recite the formulas of the iqāma singly, and he instructed Abū Mahdhūra to double them. The very essence of misguidance is for someone to forbid what the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—instructed.

[Section on Whether the Basmala Is a Verse of the Quran and on Reciting It in Prayer]

Section

As for the manner of performing the prayer, one of its distinctive observances concerns the basmala—“In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.”

People have been sharply divided over it, both over whether it is a verse of the Quran and over whether it should be recited. Works have been written by both sides, and some of what they contain displays a measure of ignorance and injustice, even though the issue itself is of little consequence. Fanatical partisanship over this and similar questions, however, is among the hallmarks of the division and disagreement that we have been forbidden. What prompts such partisanship is the desire to elevate sectarian badges that divide the Muslim community. Otherwise, these questions are among the very least significant points of disagreement—were it not for Satan’s incitement to parade the badge of division.

As for whether it is a verse of the Quran, one group, including Mālik, said: “It is not part of the Quran except in Sūrat al-Naml.” They were consequently obliged to maintain that the Companions included in the written Quran, by way of seeking blessing, something that was not the speech of Allah.