It is narrated from Sa'id bin Jubayr (may Allah have mercy on him) that, in explaining the verse "And We have certainly given you seven of the oft-repeated (verses)" [Surah al-Hijr: 87] , he said: It refers to "Umm al-Qur'an" (Surah al-Fatihah). And Sa'id bin Jubayr recited it in front of me and counted Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful) as the seventh verse. Sa'id bin Jubayr said that Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) had recited it in front of him in the same way as I have recited it in front of you, then he said that Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim is the seventh verse. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: Allah Almighty has brought this (surah and the tasmiyah) out especially for you, and did not make it manifest for anyone before you. This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning "al-Sab' al-Mathani" that he said: It is Fatihat al-Kitab. And Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) recited it together with Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful) as seven verses. Ibn Jurayj said: I asked my father: Did Sa'id bin Jubayr tell you on the authority of Ibn Abbas that Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim is a (distinct) verse of the Book of Allah? He replied: Yes. Then he said that Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) recited with Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim in both rak'ahs.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the verse "And We have certainly given you seven of the oft-repeated (verses) and the Great Qur'an" that Sa'id bin Jubayr recited it in front of me, and when he finished it, he counted Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful) as the seventh verse. And Sa'id bin Jubayr said to me: Allah has made this surah especially for you and did not grant it to anyone before you.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the verse "And We have certainly given you seven of the oft-repeated (verses)" that he said: It refers to Fatihat al-Kitab. Then he recited: "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful (1). All praise is for Allah, Lord of all the worlds" (i.e., he counted the tasmiyah as the first verse). The narrator said: I asked my father: Did Sa'id tell you that Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) regarded Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim as a distinct verse? He said: Yes.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the saying of Allah Almighty "And We have certainly given you seven of the oft-repeated (verses)" that he said: It refers to Fatihat al-Kitab. When Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) was asked where the seventh verse is, he said: It is Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the saying of Allah "al-Sab' al-Mathani" that he counted them out in front of me on his fingers: "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful (1). All praise is for Allah, Lord of all the worlds (2). The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful (3). Master of the Day of Judgement (4). You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help (5). Guide us to the straight path (6). The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favour, not of those who have earned (Your) anger, nor of those who have gone astray (7)." Then he said: Allah has brought this surah out for you and has not made it manifest for anyone other than you.

It is narrated from Sa'id bin Jubayr (may Allah have mercy on him) concerning the verse "And We have certainly given you seven of the oft-repeated (verses)" that it is Umm al-Qur'an. The narrator said: When Sa'id bin Jubayr had recited it completely in front of me, he said that Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful) is the seventh verse. And Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: Allah had stored it up for you, and did not make it manifest for anyone before you.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that Sayyiduna Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is one of the names of Allah, and the difference (in nearness) between it and the Greatest Name of Allah is only as much as that between the black of the eye and its white." This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever recites the Qur'an has, as it were, gathered prophethood within his breast, except that revelation is not sent to him. It is not befitting for the companion of the Qur'an to be angry along with those who are angry, nor to act foolishly along with those who act foolishly, while the Speech of Allah is in his breast." This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "On the Day of Resurrection the companion of the Qur'an will come, and the Qur'an will say: O my Lord, adorn him (with garments). So he will be made to wear the crown of honour. Then it will say: O my Lord, give him more. O my Lord, be pleased with him. So Allah will be pleased with him, and it will be said to him (the companion of the Qur'an): Recite and ascend. And for every verse, one good deed will be added for him." This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.