once via Ibn ‘Umar and once via Jabir; but it is weak.’ End quote. I add: the isnad of Jabir’s report is hasan. All its transmitters are found in al-Bukhari except ‘Abd al-Salam b. Muhammad al-Himsi, about whom Abu Hatim said, ‘trustworthy (saduq),’ and whom Ibn Hibban lists in al-Thiqat. Al-Hafiz states in al-Talkhis (3/305): ‘Its chain is good, but it comes through Ibn al-Munkadir from him, and there is disagreement over it.’ I also note that several narrators transmitted it from Shuayb b. Abi Hamza, yet when they combine it with ‘I have turned my face…’ they do not include ‘Subhanaka Allahumma…’ (Glory be to You, O Allah…) as mentioned earlier. Allah knows best. The opening supplication with only ‘Subhanaka Allahumma…’ is firmly established from ‘Umar. Ibn Abi Shaybah records it in al-Musannaf (2/143/2), and it is likewise related by al-Tahawi, al-Daraqutni and al-Bayhaqi through sound chains. Some versions add that he used to recite it aloud so the people might learn it; the wording is also found in Sahih Muslim (2/10). This plainly shows that it belongs to the Prophet’s sunnah; it is inconceivable that ‘Umar would innovate—despite the many opening invocations transmitted from the Prophet—especially when he raised his voice with it and none of the Companions objected. This is obvious and needs no further comment. Praise be to Allah. Opening the prayer with this formula alone, without ‘Wajjahtu wajhi (I have turned my face…),’ was adopted by Abu Hanifah and his companions. Imam Muhammad says in al-Athar—after citing the above report from ‘Umar—‘This is what we follow at the start of the prayer, but we do not consider it proper for either the imam or the congregation to recite it aloud; ‘Umar raised his voice only to teach them.’ The same position is reported from Imam Ahmad (see Masa’il Abi Dawud, no. 30) and from Ishaq.