nor is it commanded; rather, it opens the door to intrusive thoughts. Occupying oneself with the remembrance of Allah is therefore better than remaining silent, and reciting the Quran is among the finest good deeds. Accordingly, remembering Allah through the Quran is better than other forms of remembrance, as established in an authentic hadith in which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“The best words after the Quran are four phrases, which are themselves from the Quran: Glory be to Allah; praise be to Allah; there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah; and Allah is greatest.”

Muslim narrated it in his Sahīh.

‘Abd Allāh ibn Abī Awfā reported:

“A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘I cannot learn any of the Quran, so teach me something that will suffice in its place.’ He said, ‘Say: Glory be to Allah; praise be to Allah; there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah; Allah is greatest; and there is neither might nor power except through Allah.’ The man said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, this is for Allah; what is there for me?’ He said, ‘Say: O Allah, have mercy on me, provide for me, grant me well-being, and guide me.’ When the man stood up, he gestured thus with his hands. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘This man has indeed filled his hands with goodness.’”

Ahmad, Abū Dāwūd, and al-Nasā’ī narrated it.

Those who require recitation when the imam recites aloud cite as evidence the hadith reported in the Sunan collections from ‘Ubādah, in which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“When you are behind me, do not recite anything except the Opening of the Book, for there is no prayer for one who does not recite it.”

However, the leading hadith scholars consider this hadith defective on numerous grounds. Ahmad and other leading scholars graded it weak. Its weakness has been discussed at length elsewhere, and it has been explained that the authentic hadith is the Prophet’s saying, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “There is no prayer without