The reports of audible recitation are weak; for their narrators are the same as the narrators of the silent recitation, and the chain of transmission for the silent recitation is authentic and established without dispute. This indicates the weakness of the report of audible recitation. It has reached us that al-Daraqutni said: "No hadith concerning the audible recitation has been authenticated."

Section: There is a difference of opinion narrated from Ahmad regarding whether it is a verse of the Fatiha that must be recited in the prayer, or not. One narration from him is that it is part of the Fatiha, and this was held by Abu 'Abd Allah ibn Battah and Abu Hafs. It is also the opinion of Ibn al-Mubarak, al-Shafi'i, Ishaq, and Abu 'Ubayd. Ibn al-Mubarak said: "Whoever omits {In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful} has omitted one hundred and thirteen verses." Similarly, al-Shafi'i said: "It is a verse from every surah," due to the hadith of Umm Salamah (11). Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "If you recite {All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds}, then recite {In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful}. For it is the Mother of the Book, and it is the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses, and {In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful} is a verse from it (12)." Also, because the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, verified its inclusion in the Mus-hafs with their writing (13), and they did not include between the two covers anything other than the Quran. It has also been narrated from Ahmad that it is not part of the Fatiha, nor a verse of any other [surah], and it is not obligatory to recite it in the prayer. This is the position supported by his companions, and it is the opinion of Abu