Al-Bukhārī also cited this hadith as evidence in this work, although he did not include it in his Sahīh, as was his practice in such cases. Its well-known chain of transmission, recorded by Muslim, is through al-ʿAlāʾ, from Ibn al-Sāʾib, from Abū Hurayrah. Some transmitters give it as: “From his father, from Abū Hurayrah.” It was also transmitted through ʿĀʾidh and through ʿAmr ibn Shuʿayb, from his father, from his grandfather.

Al-Bukhārī said:

“Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Raqāshī narrated to us: Yazīd ibn Zurayʿ narrated to us: Muhammad ibn Ishāq narrated to us: Yahyā ibn ʿAbbād narrated to us, from his father, from ʿĀʾishah, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) say:

‘Every prayer in which the Mother of the Quran is not recited is deficient.’”

Al-Bukhārī said: “Yazīd ibn Hārūn added: ‘with the Opening of the Book.’” He also said:

“Mūsā ibn Ismāʿīl narrated to us: Abān narrated to us: ʿĀmir al-Ahwal narrated to us, from ʿAmr ibn Shuʿayb, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

‘Every prayer in which the Mother of the Quran is not recited is deficient.’”

He also said:

“Hilāl ibn Bishr narrated to us: Yūsuf ibn Yaʿqūb al-Silaʿī narrated to us: Husayn al-Muʿallim narrated to us, from ʿAmr ibn Shuʿayb, from his father, from his grandfather, who said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

‘Every prayer in which the Opening of the Book is not recited is deficient; it is deficient.’”