It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: "The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) led us in prayer, and we did not hear him recite: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. And Abu Bakr and Umar led us in prayer and we did not hear it from them either."

It was narrated that Anas said: "I prayed behind the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ), Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman, may Allah be pleased with them, and I did not hear any of them say out loud: In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful."

Ibn Abdullah bin Mughaffal said: "If Abdullah bin Mughaffal heard any one of us recite: 'In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful', he would say: 'I prayed behind the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) and behind Abu Bakr and behind Umar-may Allah be pleased with them both- and I did not hear any of them recite: 'In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful."

Abu As-Sa'ib- the freed slave of Hisham bin Zuhrah-said: "I heard Abu Hurairah say: 'The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: "Whoever offers a prayer in which he does not recite Umm Al-Quran (Al Fatihah), it is deficient, it is deficient, it is deficient, incomplete." I (Abu As-Sa'ib) said: 'O Abu Hurairah, sometimes I am behind the Imam.' He poked me in the arm and said: 'Recite it to yourself, O Persian! For I heard the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) say: "Allah says: "I have divided prayer between Myself and My slave into two halves, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.'" The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: "Recite, for when the slave says: All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of all that exists, Allah says: 'My slave has praised Me.' And when he says: The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, Allah says: 'My slave has extolled Me.' And when he says: The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection), Allah says: 'My slave has glorified Me' . And when he says: You (alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help (for each and everything), He says: 'This is between Me and My slave, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.' And when he says: 'Guide us to the straight way, the way of those on whom You have bestowed Your grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray, He says: 'This is for My slave, and My slave shall have what he asked for.'"

It was narrated from Ubadah bin As-Samit that: The Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: "There is no Salah for one who does not recite Fatihatil-Kitab."

It was narrated that Ubadah bin As-Samit said: "The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: "There is no Salah for one who does not recite Fatihatil-Kitab or more.'"

It was narrated that Ibn Abbas said: "When Jibril was with the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ), he heard a sound from above like a door opening. Jibril, peace be upon him, looked up toward the sky and said: 'This is a gate in Heaven that has been opened, but it was never opened before." He said: "An Angel came down from it and came to the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) and said: 'Receive the glad tidings of two lights that have been given to you and were never given to any prophet before you: The Opening of the Book (Al-Fatihah) and the last verses of Surat Al-Baqarah. You will never recite a single letter of them but you will be granted it.'"

It was narrated from Abu Sa'eed bin Al-Mu'alla that: The Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) passed by him when he was praying, and called him. He said: "I finished praying, then I came to him, and he said: 'What kept you from answering me?' He said: 'I was praying.' He said: 'Does not Allah say: O you who believe! Answer Allah (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life? Shall I not teach you the greatest surah before I leave the masjid?' Then he went to leave, and I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, what about what you said?' He said: "All praise and thanks be to Allah, Lord of all that exists. These are the seven oft-recited that I have been given, and the Grand Quran.'"

It was narrated that Ubayy bin Ka'b said: "The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: 'Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, did not reveal in the Tawrah or the Injil anything like Umm Al-Quran (Al-Fatihah), which is the seven oft-recited, and (Allah said) it is divided between Myself and My slave will have what he asked for.'"

It was narrated that Ibn Abbas said: "The Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) was given seven oft-recited; the seven long ones."