as he states—and likewise by al-Hazimi (p. 56). In contrast, Imam al-Shafi‘i, his followers, and a number of earlier Companions and Followers maintained that the basmalah should be recited aloud and that this is the sunnah. Al-Nawawi devotes a long discussion in al-Majmu‘ (3/334–356) to defending that view, citing many hadiths; but anyone who examines them impartially will not find a single authentic and unequivocal narration that substantiates their position. For that reason, in this comment I shall quote only those reports—some of which certain scholars have graded sound—that explicitly mention reciting it aloud, leaving aside the rest, which are treated at length in works such as Nasb al-Rayah and Nayl al-Awtar. First hadith: the report of Anas ibn Malik, transmitted through several chains. 1. The first chain is that recorded by al-Shafi‘i in al-Umm (1/93) and, through him, by al-Daraqutni (no. 117), al-Hakim (1/233) and al-Bayhaqi (2/49). All three relate from al-Shafi‘i, who said: ʿAbd al-Majid ibn ʿAbd al-Aziz informed us, from Ibn Jurayj, who said: ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUthman ibn Khuthaym told me that Abu Bakr ibn Hafs ibn ʿUmar told him that Anas ibn Malik told him: “Muʿawiyah once led a prayer in Madinah and recited aloud. With Umm al-Quran (i.e., Surat al-Fatihah) he recited Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim (‘In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate’), but he did not recite it with the surah that followed until he had finished that recitation. Nor did he pronounce the takbir (saying Allahu akbar) while moving down until he had completed the prayer. When he gave salam, the Muhajirun who had heard this called out from every direction, ‘O Muʿawiyah! Have you stolen the prayer, or did you forget?’ Thereafter, when he prayed again he recited Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim with the surah that followed Umm al-Quran and he pronounced the takbir when descending to prostrate.” Al-Daraqutni remarked, “All the transmitters are trustworthy.” Al-Hakim said, “Authentic according to the criteria of Muslim,” and al-Dhahabi concurred, then added: