may Allah bless him and grant him peace. This is a matter concerning which there was ample motivation and concern to transmit what was done behind the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace; its transmission would not have been confined to one or two people. Al-Zuhrī’s categorical statement is therefore among the strongest pieces of evidence that they stopped reciting behind him when he recited aloud, after previously doing so. This supports what has already been mentioned and accords with his saying:

“When he recites, listen attentively.”

He made no exception for al-Fātihah or anything else. It is thus established that the addition in question either rests on a weak basis or was not accurately preserved in wording by its narrator, its meaning being consistent with the other narrations. Otherwise, the general principles established in the Book and Sunnah cannot be altered on the basis of this matter, which admits of different interpretations. And Allah knows best.

The discussion is further clarified by what Muslim narrated in his Sahīh from Imrān ibn Husayn:

“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, led the noon prayer, and a man began reciting behind him, ‘Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High.’ When he finished, he asked, ‘Which of you recited?’ or ‘Which of you was reciting?’ A man said, ‘I did.’ He said, ‘I thought that one of you was competing with me in reciting it.’”

This hadith shows that someone recited behind him in a silent prayer, reciting more than al-Fātihah. Despite this, he did not forbid them to do so. This constitutes his tacit approval of their reciting more than al-Fātihah behind him in a silent prayer, contrary to those who say that one must never recite behind him, or must not recite anything beyond al-Fātihah.

His statement, “I thought that one of you was competing with me in reciting it,” does not prohibit the act of