, much less can it be deemed a lie. Moreover, it has so many chains, corroborating reports, and the established practice of the early generations in accordance with it that anyone acquainted with these will be certain that the hadith is authentic and possesses a firmly established basis. For this reason, after citing some of its corroborating reports, al-Tirmidhī said in his Sunan (1/325): “This has likewise been narrated from ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb and ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd, and this is the practice followed by most of the scholars among the Successors and others.”

It appears to me—and Allah knows best—that this was one of the scholars’ slips, unless it was a slip of the pen; it must therefore be avoided. ʿUmar al-Fārūq’s concern to publicize this hadith and convey it to the people went so far that he would raise his voice when reciting it, so that the people might learn it. This was narrated and authenticated by the leading hadith masters, as you may see documented in Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl (2/52). He knew that the sunnah was to recite the opening supplication quietly, but did so out of eagerness to teach them and in accordance with the other established sunnah recorded in the Ṣaḥīḥ: that he would sometimes let them hear a verse during the noon and afternoon prayers.

Among the chains from Anas is the narration of Makhlad ibn Yazīd, from ʿĀʾidh ibn Shurayḥ, from him, with the wording: “Whenever he began the prayer, he would declare, ‘Allah is Most Great,’ and then say…” He then cited it. Al-Ṭabarānī recorded it in al-Duʿāʾ (Supplication) (505) and in al-Awsaṭ (The Middle Collection) (1/171/3190). In al-Awsaṭ, he said: “It is narrated from Anas only through this chain of transmission; Makhlad ibn Yazīd alone narrated it.” That is what he said, but he did not recall the first chain. Concerning this report, al-Haythamī said (2/107): “Al-Ṭabarānī narrated it in al-Awsaṭ, and its narrators have been declared trustworthy.”