the beginning or end of their recitation,” it only indicates that they did not recite it aloud, because Anas denied only what he knew, and he did not know what the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said quietly.

Nor can it be said that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) did not pause, but proceeded directly from the opening takbīr to the recitation. It is established in the two Sahīh collections that Abū Hurayrah asked him: “During your pause between the opening takbīr and the recitation, what do you say?”

The interpretation of Anas’s hadith as denying that they recited it quietly has its counterpart in the claim that Anas meant that they would begin with al-Fātihah before any other surah. This, too, is weak, for this is common knowledge and has always been people’s practice. Al-Hajjāj ibn Yūsuf and the other rulers behind whom Anas prayed would recite al-Fātihah before the subsequent surah. No one disputed this, nor was anyone asked about it—neither Anas nor anyone else. There was no need for Anas to report this from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and his two Companions. Whoever reports that Anas was unsure whether the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) recited the basmalah or not gives an account consistent with the authentic reports, because Anas did not know whether he recited it quietly; he only denied that he recited it aloud.

Another matter in which scholars agree that either practice is permissible is performing the regular Sunnah prayers while travelling. Whoever wishes may perform them, and whoever wishes may omit them, by agreement of the imams. A prayer that one is permitted either to perform or to omit may sometimes be better performed