Furthermore, the recitation of al-Fatiha is mandatory in the funeral prayer. This is the view held by al-Shafi'i and Ishaq, and it is narrated from Ibn 'Abbas. Al-Thawri, al-Awza'i, Malik (2), and Abu Hanifa said: One does not recite anything from the Qur'an in it, because Ibn Mas'ud said: The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—did not time (al-waqt) any speech or recitation in it. Also, because that which has no bowing (ruku') has no recitation in it, like the prostration of recitation (sujud al-tilawa). Our argument is that Ibn 'Abbas performed a funeral prayer and recited the Opening of the Book (al-Fatiha), and then said: "It is from the Sunnah" or "It is from the complete Sunnah." Al-Tirmidhi (3) said: This is a hasan sahih hadith. Ibn Majah (4) reported with his chain of transmission from Umm Sharik that she said: The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—ordered us to recite the Opening of the Book over the funeral. Al-Shafi'i also narrated in his "Musnad" (5) with his chain of transmission from Jabir that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—pronounced the takbir four times over the funeral and recited the Opening of the Book after the first takbir. Moreover, it is included in the general implication of his saying—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—: "There is no prayer for one who does not recite the Mother of the Qur'an (al-Fatiha)" (6). Furthermore, it is a prayer in which standing is mandatory, thus recitation is mandatory in it, like other prayers. If what they narrated from Ibn Mas'ud is authentic, then he only said: "He did not time [it]," meaning he did not set a specific duration/limit, and this does not indicate the negation of the essence of recitation. Ibn al-Mundhir has narrated from him that he recited the Opening of the Book over a funeral. Furthermore, it does not contradict what we have narrated, because it is a negation, while affirmation takes precedence over it. It differs from the prostration of recitation, as there is no standing in it, and the proper place for recitation is while standing.