In this respect...

In this respect, it has been narrated that Bakr ibn `Abdullah al-Muzaniy said, “As I followed `Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr in a congregational prayer, he recited the Basmalah audibly.” According to another narration, “`Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr used to recite the Basmalah in the congregational prayers audibly and used to say that nothing but arrogance has prevented you from reciting it audibly.”[^6] Before the aforesaid presentation, al-Fakhr al-Raziy has cited the following narration: It has been narrated on the authority of Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Musayyabiy that his father, once, recited the Basmalah audibly in a prayer that he had offered in al-Madinah.

Immediately, al-A`sha Abu-Bakr, the nephew of Malik ibn Anas, came to him and said, “Malik ibn Anas sends his compliments to you and say that you have been the last one that he expects to violate the religious rituals followed by the people of al-Madinah.” Ishaq al-Musayyabiy asked, “What for has he said this to me?” Al-A`sha answered, “This is because you have recited the Basmalah audibly in the prayer.” Ishaq answered, “Well, send my compliments to Malik in the same way as he has done and say to him that I have very frequently heard him ordering us not to follow the scholars of Iraq as regards the religious laws since he claimed that none of our master scholars have ever followed them.

Yet, it is Hamid al-Tawil, the Iraqi scholar, who canceled the audible recitation of the Basmalah in prayers. Hence, if he (i.e. Malik ibn Anas) wants us to follow the scholars of Iraq, we will follow them in this question as well as others, otherwise we will neglect this very question and the others. Hence, Malik’s claim against me is rejected. Besides, I have very frequently heard him ordering us to take a field of knowledge from its people.

Depending upon this instruction, I have asked Ibn Abi-Nu`aym, the most experienced in the knowledge of the Holy Qur'an in al-Madinah, about the question and he ordered me to recite the Basmalah audibly in the prayers, saying, ‘I swear that the Basmalah is one of the verses of the Surah of al-Fatihah and I swear that Almighty Allah has revealed it.