By this, he means that I did not hear any of them reciting بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ aloud, and indeed, they used to recite بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ in a low voice during prayer. (The meaning of your statement) is not as those people have misunderstood, who have not acquired knowledge from its original sources and seek status and rank even before acquiring knowledge.

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I have offered prayers behind the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them), and they did not recite «‏‏‏‏بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ» ‏‏‏‏ aloud.

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that indeed the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not recite (in prayer) with a loud voice «‏‏‏‏بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ» ‏‏‏‏, nor did Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them) recite (with a loud voice).

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I have offered prayers with the Prophet (peace be upon him), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), and they did not recite «‏‏‏‏بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ» ‏‏‏‏ aloud.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to recite «‏‏‏‏بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ» ‏‏‏‏ in a low voice during prayer. Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that this hadith has clarified that (the Prophet (peace be upon him), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to recite «‏‏‏‏بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ» ‏‏‏‏ in a low voice, contrary to the assumption of those with little knowledge who claim that Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) meant by his statement that the Prophet (peace be upon him), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to begin the recitation in prayer with «‏‏‏‏الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ» ‏‏‏‏, and by his statement that“I never heard any of them recite «‏‏‏‏بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ» ‏‏‏‏,”he meant that those noble personalities (in prayer) did not recite «‏‏‏‏بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ» ‏‏‏‏ at all, neither aloud nor in a low voice. This hadith has explicitly clarified that what he meant was that those noble personalities (in prayer) used to recite «‏‏‏‏بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ» ‏‏‏‏ in a low voice, not aloud. In the chain of narration of hadith number 497, the narrator Abu al-Jawab refers to al-Ahwass bin Jawab.

Naeem Mujmir (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that I prayed behind Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), so he recited «‏‏‏‏بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ» ‏‏‏‏, then recited Umm al-Qur’an until he reached «‏‏‏‏وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ» ‏‏‏‏, then said Ameen, and the followers also said Ameen. Whenever he performed prostration, he would say «‏‏‏‏اللهُ أَكْبَرُ» ‏‏‏‏, and when he sat (for Tashahhud) and then stood up, he would say «‏‏‏‏اللهُ أَكْبَرُ» ‏‏‏‏. When he finished the prayer with Salam, he said:“By the One in Whose hand is my soul, surely I pray the most similar prayer to the entire prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) among you.”All the narrators have narrated the words in the same manner, except Ibn ‘Abd al-Hakam, who narrated these words:“And when he sat (for Tashahhud) after two rak‘ahs and then stood up, he would say «‏‏‏‏اللهُ أَكْبَرُ» ‏‏‏‏.”Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says: I have explained the proofs regarding «‏‏‏‏بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ» ‏‏‏‏ in the book «‏‏‏‏معاني القرآن» ‏‏‏‏ with complete research. I have stated in this book that «‏‏‏‏بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ» ‏‏‏‏ is a verse of the Noble Qur’an. I have explained it in a very clear and easy manner, which is not difficult for the people of knowledge and those who reflect on the proofs I have presented, and whom Allah Almighty blesses with understanding, and to whom Allah Almighty, by His grace and mercy, grants the ability to comprehend the truth.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Shall I not teach you a great surah, the like of which has not been revealed in the Torah, the Gospel, or the Noble Qur'an?" I said, "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), do teach me." So he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Surely, before you leave through this door, I will tell you that surah." Therefore, I stood with him (peace and blessings be upon him), and he began to converse with me while my hand was in his blessed hand. I started walking slowly, fearing that he (peace and blessings be upon him) might leave without telling me that surah. When I reached near the door, I said, "O Messenger of Allah, the surah which you promised to tell me (please tell me)." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you stand for prayer, how do you begin your recitation?" He says: I recited Surah Al-Fatihah to him. So he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This is the surah, this is the great surah, and this is the Sab‘ al-Mathani about which Allah, the Exalted, has said «‏‏‏‏وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَاكَ سَبْعًا مِّنَ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْآنَ الْعَظِيمَ» ‏‏‏‏ [ سورة الحجر ] 'Indeed, We have given you the seven oft-repeated (verses) and the Grand Qur'an.' This is what has been given to me."

Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah Almighty has not revealed any surah like Umm al-Kitab (Surah al-Fatihah) in the Torah, the Gospel, or the Noble Qur'an, and this is the Seven Oft-Repeated (Sab‘ al-Mathani)."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever performs a prayer in which he does not recite Umm al-Qur’an, then that prayer is incomplete, it is incomplete, it is incomplete. It is not complete." (Abu Sa’ib says) So I asked, "O Abu Hurairah, sometimes I am behind the Imam (so how should I recite al-Fatihah)?" He pressed my arm and said, "O Persian, recite it in your heart. For I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'Allah, Blessed and Exalted, says: I have divided the prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves. So half of it is for Me and half is for My servant.' The servant says: «‏‏‏‏الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ» ‏‏‏‏ 'All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.' Allah says: 'My servant has praised Me.' The servant recites: «‏‏‏‏الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ» ‏‏‏‏ 'The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.' Allah says: 'My servant has extolled Me.' The servant recites: «‏‏‏‏مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ» ‏‏‏‏ 'Master of the Day of Judgment.' Allah says: 'My servant has glorified Me.' And this verse is divided between Me and My servant. The servant says: «‏‏‏‏إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ» ‏‏‏‏ '(O Allah) You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help.' So this verse is divided between Me and My servant, and for My servant is what he asks for. The servant says: «‏‏‏‏صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ» ‏‏‏‏ 'O Allah, guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.'"

Contrary to the claim of those who say that a person offering Zuhr or Asr prayer has the choice in the last two rak‘ahs to either recite Surah Al-Fatihah or keep saying Subhan Allah, and contrary to the assumption of those who say that in the last two rak‘ahs of these two prayers he should only say Subhan Allah and not recite (any surah) in them—this statement is against the Sunnah of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم . Allah Almighty has made the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم responsible for explaining and clarifying the Furqan Hameed revealed to him, and has given him the duty of teaching his ummah their prayers.