and Dawud—as cited in al-Majmuʿ 3/321—and al-Tirmidhi related the same ruling from the majority of the scholars among the Successors and others. Abu Yusuf said: “This may be harmonized with the formula ‘wajjh-tu…’ on the authority of the hadith of Ibn ʿUmar.” Were that report sound, adopting it would be defensible. Allah knows best. (1) Meaning: I pronounce Your tasbih, i.e., I declare You utterly free from every imperfection. The phrase “with Your praise” means that we do so while engaged in praising You. (2) Meaning: Blessed is Your name, for every good is obtained by mentioning it. Others say it means: Your Essence is exalted. The wording is literal, for if exaltation is affirmed for His names, it is even more fitting for His Essence. A comparable expression occurs in the verse sabbih isma rabbika al-aʿla (“Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High”). See al-Mirqat 1/515. (3) Meaning: Your majesty and greatness are supreme. As for the addition jalla thanaʾuk (“exalted is Your praise”), we have found no basis for it in any hadith chain. Although it has become widespread as an opening supplication in the funeral prayer, no authentic text prescribes any opening there at all. Al-Nawawi states in al-Majmuʿ 3/319: “The sounder view is that no opening supplication is recommended in the funeral prayer, because it is founded on brevity.” (4) Reported by Ibn Mandah in al-Tawhid (123/2) with an authentic chain. Al-Nasaʾi also narrated it in al-Yawm wa’l-Laylah, both mawquf and marfuʿ, as cited in Ibn Kathir’s Jamiʿ al-Masānid, vol. 3, part 2, folio 235/2. I later located it in al-Nasaʾi (nos. 849–850) and documented it in al-Sahihah (no. 2939).