the Mother of the Quran.” This is the report included by al-Bukhārī and Muslim in their Sahīh collections, and narrated by al-Zuhrī from Mahmūd ibn al-Rabī‘, from ‘Ubādah. As for the other hadith, some Syrian narrators erred in transmitting it. Its origin was that ‘Ubādah led the prayer in Jerusalem and made this statement; they confused the report attributed to the Prophet with the statement of ‘Ubādah himself.

Furthermore, scholars, both earlier and later, have discussed this issue at length, along with other questions. At times, they devoted separate treatises to it. Some, such as al-Bukhārī and others, wrote separate works arguing in favour of recitation behind the imam; others, such as Abū Mutī‘ al-Balkhī, Karrām, and others, argued against it.

Anyone who examines the writings of these groups will see the middle position clearly. Most of these separate treatises address cases covered by each of the two divergent positions: that of those who forbid recitation behind the imam even in silent prayers, and that of those who require recitation behind him even while hearing him recite aloud.

Al-Bukhārī was among those who argued forcefully in favour of recitation even when the imam recites aloud. Indeed, he regarded it as obligatory, as did al-Shāfi‘ī in his later position and Ibn Hazm. Nevertheless, his arguments and his treatise only establish the weakness of Abū Hanīfah’s position on this issue and its related questions, such as its being (1).