Isti'adha (seeking refuge):
Allah's command: "When you recite the Quran, seek refuge in Allah from the rejected Shaytan" — Al-Nahl: 98.
- Majority: Recommended, not obligatory
- Hanafis: Some say obligatory at the beginning of recitation
- Form: "A'udhu billahi min al-shaytan al-rajim" — other forms also permitted
- Aloud or silent: Silent in prayer; may be aloud outside it
Basmala at the beginning of a surah:
- Part of Al-Fatiha: Shafi'is and Ibn Kathir
- An independent separating verse: Malikis and Hanafis
- Recited aloud in loud prayers: Shafi'is; silently: Hanafis and Malikis
Basmala between surahs: Four modes (see rdg-016 for detail): stop-basmala-start (preferred); connect with basmala; stop without basmala; connect all. No basmala before At-Tawbah by consensus.
Question: What is the ruling on isti'adha before recitation according to the majority? And what about basmala before At-Tawbah?
Answer: Isti'adha is recommended, not obligatory, according to the majority. Basmala before At-Tawbah: not recited by consensus, whether beginning from its start or transitioning from Al-Anfal.