The chain is sound, and all its transmitters are those relied upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim. The anonymity of the Companion does not weaken the report, as Hafiz Ibn Kathir notes in his Tafsir (4/452) and as is well established in the discipline. It is corroborated by a hadith of Abu Hurayra worded: “Whoever recites: *la uqsimu bi-yawm al-qiyama* (I swear by the Day of Resurrection) and reaches: *alaysa dhalika bi-qadirin ‘ala an yuhyiya al-mawta* (Is not He able to give life to the dead? – 75:40), let him then say: *bala* (Indeed, yes).” This will be cited below. A second supporting report, mursal, comes from Qatada: whenever the Messenger of Allah recited the verse he would say, “*Subhanak! fa-bala* (Glory be to You! Indeed, yes).” Ibn Jarir records it with a chain whose narrators are also those of the two Shaykhs. Ibn Abi Hatim likewise relates it from Ibn ‘Abbas as a mawquf statement, affirming that he used to say it; its chain is sound according to the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim. (1) I hold that this response is recommended for every worshiper except the one following an imam, for when the follower says *subhana rabbi al-a‘la* (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) he is thereby occupied and unable to observe the required attentiveness enjoined in the verse: *wa idha quri’a al-qur’an fa-istami‘u lahu wa ansitu la‘allakum turhamun* (When the Quran is recited, listen to it and be silent so that you may receive mercy – 7:204). Allah knows best. (2) The report is from Ibn ‘Abbas. It is recorded by Abu Dawud (1/141); through him by al-Bayhaqi; by Ahmad (1/232), and from Ahmad by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir, all through the route of Waki‘ → Isra’il → Abu Ishaq → Muslim al-Batin → Sa‘id ibn Jubayr → Ibn ‘Abbas. Al-Hakim also transmits it through this pathway (1/263) and declares it “sound according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs,” a judgment with which al-Dhahabi concurs, and it is indeed as they have said.