that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) did not habitually recite it aloud. Indeed, even someone untrained in distinguishing conclusive evidence from other evidence would also say: If there is no authentic, explicit hadith establishing its recitation aloud, how could the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) have recited it aloud without the Muslim community transmitting this Sunnah—instead neglecting it and allowing it to be lost?

Is this any different from someone reporting that he used to recite the opening supplication and the invocation for refuge aloud, just as some of them recited the basmalah aloud? Yet we know with unavoidable certainty that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) did not recite the opening supplication and the invocation for refuge aloud as he recited al-Fātihah aloud. Likewise, we know with unavoidable certainty that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) did not recite the basmalah aloud as he recited al-Fātihah aloud. It is possible, however, that he recited it aloud occasionally, or that he did so earlier and later discontinued the practice, as Abū Dāwūd related in his Marāsīl from Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, and al-Tabarānī related in his Muʿjam from Ibn ʿAbbās:

“The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to recite it aloud in Mecca. When the polytheists heard it, they would revile the Most Merciful, so he stopped reciting it aloud and never did so again until he died.”

This, then, is possible.

As for occasional recitation aloud, examples include the report in al-Sahīh that he would sometimes recite a verse audibly, and some of the Companions saying aloud behind him:

“Our Lord, to You belongs all praise—abundant, good and blessed praise.”

Another example is ʿUmar saying aloud: “Glory and praise be to You, O Allah. Blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and there is no god but You.” Likewise, there is the example of Ibn ʿUmar and Abū