Abu Hurayrah (36), [and Ibn Mas'ud] (37), narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) the like of that. And from Abu Malik, he said: I said to my father: O father, you have prayed behind the Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him), Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali here in Kufa for about five years; did they perform Qunut? He said: O my son, it is an innovation (38). Al-Tirmidhi said: This is a Hasan Sahih (good and authentic) hadith, and the practice of most of the people of knowledge is in accordance with it. Ibrahim al-Nakha'i said: The first to perform Qunut in the morning prayer was Ali, and that is because he was a man at war, supplicating against his enemies. Sa'id narrated in his "Sunan" from Hushaym, from Urwah al-Hamdani, from al-Sha'bi who said: When Ali performed Qunut in the morning prayer, the people disapproved of it. Ali said: We are only seeking help against this enemy of ours. And from Abu Hurayrah, may God be pleased with him, he said (39): The Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him) did not use to perform Qunut in the Fajr prayer, except when he was supplicating for a people, or supplicating against a people. Recorded by Sa'id. The hadith of Anas allows for the interpretation that he intended the length of the standing, for that is called Qunut. And the Qunut of Umar allows for the interpretation that it was during times of calamity; for most of the reports from him indicate that he did not perform Qunut, and a group has narrated that from him, which indicates that his Qunut was during a time of calamity.

Section: If a calamity befalls the Muslims, it is permissible for the Imam to perform Qunut in the morning prayer. Ahmad stated this explicitly. Al-Athram said: I heard Abu Abd Allah being asked about Qunut in the Fajr prayer? He said: If a matter befalls the Muslims (40), the Imam shall perform Qunut, and those behind him shall say 'Amin'. Then he said: Like...