These advantages may be cited as follows...

These advantages may be cited as follows: First : Unlike the other Muslim jurisprudential schools, the (‘a) School abides by reciting Surah al-Fatihah and one other entire Surah in the first two units of all prayers.[^7] The (‘a) School also recites the basmalah ( bismi-llahir-rahmanir-rahim ) in Surah al-Fatihah and in all other Surah s, because it is an inseparable part of all Surah s of the Holy Qur'an as believed by all Shi’ite jurisprudents, and maintained by many traditions and historical practice.

Besides, the fact that all calligraphies of the Holy Qur'an, which Muslims have honestly transmitted since the time of the Holy Prophet (S) and up to the present day, entail that the basmalah is an inseparable part of the Surah s. Second : According to the jurisprudence of the (‘a) School, the basmalah should be recited audibly even in the prayers where the recitations of the Qur'anic texts must be uttered inaudibly, such as the obligatory afternoon and evening prayers.

This matter was turned into a political issue during the reign of Mu’awiyah when the true righteous Muslims were distinguished from the pro-Umayyad groups through this in particular, especially after Mu’awiyah decided to cancel out reciting the basmalah audibly in the prayers—an event to which some historical texts have referred.

Third : The (‘a) School abides by the ruling that prostration must be done on earth directly or on whatever plants the earth produces except plants that are edible and plants used to make cloth. In this ruling, jurisprudents of the (‘a) School depend upon traditions reported from the (‘a) and Imam al-Sadiq’s verdict that reads: لاَ يَجُوزُ السُّجُودُ إلاَّ عَلَى الأَرْضِ أَوْ مَا أَنْبَتَتْهُ إِلاَّ مَا أُكِلَ أَوْ لُبِسَ.

Prostration is impermissible unless made on earth or on plants produced by the earth, except those eaten or converted into cloth. [^8] Likewise, Shi’ite scholars are reported to have forbidden prostration on cotton and linen, because Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported as saying: لاَ يُسْجَدُ عَلَى الثَّوْبِ الْكَرْسَفِ وَلاَ عَلَى الصُّوفِ وَلاَ عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِنَ الْحَيْوَانِ وَلاَ عَلَى حُطَامٍ وَلاَ عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِنَ الثِّمَارِ وَلاَ عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِنَ الرِّيَاشِ.

It is not permissible to prostrate on cotton cloth, nor on wool, nor on a part of an animal, or any food, or any part of fruits, or any part of furniture.

✦ ✦ ✦