5/4. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 815 — Beware of Innovation in Recitation
Starting the recitation
Hadith About Beware of Innovation in Recitation
Sunan Ibn Majah : 815
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 815
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، عَنِ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ، عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ عَبَايَةَ، حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُغَفَّلِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ وَقَلَّمَا رَأَيْتُ رَجُلاً أَشَدَّ عَلَيْهِ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ حَدَثًا مِنْهُ فَسَمِعَنِي وَأَنَا أَقْرَأُ {بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ} فَقَالَ أَىْ بُنَىَّ إِيَّاكَ وَالْحَدَثَ فَإِنِّي صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَمَعَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَمَعَ عُمَرَ وَمَعَ عُثْمَانَ فَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ رَجُلاً مِنْهُمْ يَقُولُهُ فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ فَقُلِ {الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ} .
Ibn Abdullah bin Mughaffal Narrated from:
I have rarely seen a man for whom innovation in Islam was harder to bear than him. He heard me reciting: ‘In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful’ Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim [1:1] and he said: ‘O my son, beware of innovation, for I prayed with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and with Abu Bakr, and with ‘Umar, and with ‘Uthman, and I never heard any of them saying this.When you (begin to) recite, say: ‘All the praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord of all that exists.’ (Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabbil-‘Alamin).’” [1:2]
[2] Al-Fâtihah 1:1.[3] Al-Fâtihah 1:2.Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 815In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 13English translation : Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 815
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 815
This hadith about beware of innovation in recitation reports that Abdullah bin Mughaffal heard his son reciting Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim aloud in this context. He told him, “O my son, beware of innovation.” He then said that he prayed with the Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman, and he did not hear any of them saying it. He instructed that when beginning to recite, one should say Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabbil-‘Alamin. The hadith must be read carefully as it is tied to the specific practice described in the narration. Its focus is on following what he heard in prayer and avoiding adding what he did not hear from them in that setting.
What we learn from this hadith
- Abdullah bin Mughaffal warned his son against adding something he had not heard in that prayer setting.
- He reported praying with the Prophet, Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman.
- He said he did not hear them say Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim in that context.
- He directed his son to begin recitation with Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabbil-‘Alamin.
