Ruling on tasmee’ and tahmeed in prayer

The scholars
differed concerning the ruling on saying tasmee’ (Sami’a Allaahu liman
hamidah) and tahmeed (Rabbana laka’l-hamd) in prayer. There are
two views: 

1 –The view
of the majority – the Hanafis, Maalikis and al-Shaafa’is – is that it is one
of the Sunnahs of prayer and is not one of the obligatory parts of the
prayer. 

2 –That it
is one of the obligatory parts of the prayer. This is the view of the
Hanbalis. 

Ibn Qudaamah
said in al-Mughni (1/578): 

The well
known view narrated from Ahmad is that the takbeer (saying “Allaahu akbar”)
when going down and coming up, the tasbeeh during the stage of bowing and
prostrating, saying Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah and Rabbana wa
laka’l-hamd in prayer, and saying Rabb ighfir li between the two
prostrations, and the first tashahhud are all obligatory. This is also the
view of Ishaaq and Dawood. 

And it was
narrated in another report from Ahmad that it is not obligatory. This is the
view of the majority of fuqaha’, because the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not teach it to the one who did not
pray properly, and it is not permissible to delay the explanation from the
time when it is needed. Ibn Qudaamah quoted several points as evidence that
it is obligatory: 

1-The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined it, and his command means that
something is obligatory.

2-He did it, and he said: “Pray
as you have seen me praying.”

3-Abu Dawood (857) narrated from
‘Ali ibn Yahya ibn Khallaad from his paternal uncle that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No one’s prayer is
complete unless he does wudoo’ … then says ‘Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah,’
until he is standing up straight.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh Abi Dawood.

4-The points at which these
adhkaar are recited are pillars or essential parts of the prayer, therefore
the dhikr at these points is obligatory, as in the case of standing.

With regard
to the hadeeth about the one who did not pray properly, in the hadeeth that
we quoted, mention is made of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) teaching that. It is something extra that must be
accepted, but the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
did not teach him all the obligatory parts of the prayer, based on the
evidence that he did not teach him the tashahhud or the salaam. This is to
be understood as meaning that he taught him that which he saw him doing
badly. End quote. 

Shaykh Ibn
‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Sharh
al-Mumti’ (3/433): 

The evidence
for that is as follows: 

1 – The
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) always did that,
and he never failed to say Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah under any
circumstances. 

2 – It is
the sign of moving from bowing to standing up again. 

3 – The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When he [the
imam] says ‘Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah, then say ‘Rabbana wa
laka’l-hamd.” 

Based on
this, there are three points of evidence for tahmeed and only two for
tasmee’. End quote. 

Some of the
Hanbalis quoted as evidence for it being obligatory the hadeeth of
‘Abd-Allaah ibn Buraydah from his father who said: The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to me: “O Buraydah, when you raise
your head from bowing, say Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah, Allaahumma
Rabbana laka’l-hamd mil’ al-samaa’i wa mil’a al-ard wa mil’a ma shi’ta min
shay’in ba’d (Allaah hears the one who praises Him, O Allaah our Lord,
to You be praise filling the heaven, filling the earth and filling whatever
else You will). Narrated by al-Daaraqutni (1/339). 

But this is
a da’eef (weak) hadeeth, as was stated by the scholars. See Ibn ‘Abd
al-Haadi in Tahqeeq al-Ta’leeq (1/394); al-Iraaqi in Tarh
al-Tathreeb (2/331); and al-Shawkaani in Nayl al-Awtaar (2/278).
See also al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (27/82, 92-93) 

In the
answer to question no. 43574 we have stated that we favour the view that
tasmee’ and tahmeed are obligatory, and that the one who is praying alone
should recite both tasmee’ and tahmeed, according to scholarly consensus and
the imam should also recite both. This is the view of the Shaafa’is and the
Hanbalis. But the one who is praying behind an imam should recite only the
tahmeed, and it is not prescribed for him to say the tasmee’, as is the view
of the majority. The evidence for that is also quoted in the question
referred to. 

And Allaah
knows best.