Hence, considering the meaning we have laid out, the right-hand side should be singled out for the added phrase “wa barakatuh” (and His blessings). If, however, an authentic report from the Prophet contradicts this—as we have indicated—then the maxim applies: “When the transmitted proof arrives, reasoning is set aside,” or, in the popular saying, “When Allah’s river flows, Maqil’s stream dries up.” Allah, the Exalted, knows best. (1) This refers to the hadith of Ibn Umar, narrated from him by Wasiʿ b. Hibban, who said: “I asked Ibn Umar, ‘Tell me about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah—what was it like?’ He then mentioned that the Prophet pronounced the takbir each time he lowered or raised his head, and that for the final salutation he said, ‘Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah’ to his right and ‘Peace be upon you’ to his left.” The complete text has already been cited under “The Takbir.” Al-Nasaʾi (1:195) and Ahmad (2:72) recorded it through Abd al-Aziz b. Muhammad al-Darawardi, from Amr b. Yahya b. Umara, from Muhammad b. Yahya b. Hibban, from his uncle Wasiʿ. Ahmad (2:152) also transmitted it through Ruh, from Ibn Jurayj, from Amr b. Yahya. The chain is sound according to the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim. Al-Tahawi (1:198) likewise reported it through Ali b. Shaybah, from Ruh b. Ubadah, but he added in the second salutation the words: “and the mercy of Allah.”