“Rabbana! wa laka-l-hamd” (Our Lord! and to You be the praise). Al-Darimi (1/301) also reports it, but without the prefixed waw (“and”). A further corroboration comes from the Companion Abd Allah ibn Abi Awfa; it is recorded by Muslim (2/46–47), Abu Dawud (1/135), Ibn Majah (1/286), Ahmad (4/353, 354, 381), al-Tahawi (1/140–141), and al-Bayhaqi (2/94). Additional chains exist from Ibn Abbas and Abu Sa id, to be cited shortly, God willing. Al-Nawawi writes in al-Majmu (3/418)—after quoting this wording and the three preceding ones—“All of them are found in the Sahih collections. Al-Shafii and our colleagues hold that every one of them is permissible.” He continues: “The author of al-Hawi and others say that it is recommended for the imam to pronounce ‘Samia-llahu liman hamidah’ (Allah hears the one who praises Him) aloud so that the congregation may hear him and know that he has moved, just as he raises his voice for the takbir. He should, however, recite ‘Rabbana! laka-l-hamd’ quietly, because it is said while standing upright, and therefore takes the same ruling as the tasbih uttered in bowing and prostration. As for the follower, he says both phrases silently, like the takbir. If he must relay the imam’s movement to those behind him—as he does with the takbir—he may raise his voice with ‘Samia-llahu liman hamidah,’ for that is legislated while rising, but he should not raise his voice with ‘Rabbana! laka-l-hamd,’ because it is prescribed during the standing position.” I add: Evidence for the imam’s raising his voice in the tasmi is found in the hadith of Abu Sa id al-Khudri, which states that he raised his voice in the takbir when he opened the prayer … and, in it, when he said: “Samia-llahu liman hamidah”… concluding with: “Thus I saw the Messenger of Allah pray.” This narration was cited earlier under the discussion of the takbir. Yet it is not completely decisive, for it may mean that he raised his voice in the takbir when he said “Samia-llahu liman hamidah,” intending the takbir uttered while descending to prostration; or it may mean that he raised his voice precisely when saying “Samia-llahu liman hamidah.” Allah knows best.