Prior to bowing in the second Raka’, the Shi’a recite Qunoot. This issue is also mentioned in detail in Hadeeth traditions of both Sects and is hence a Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (s). Imam Bukhari has written a whole chapter in Sahih Bukhari under the caption of “Chapter of Qunoot; Before and after Bowing” and grand scholar of Ahl e Hadeeth Allamah Waheed uz-Zaman writes in the border of Bukhari:
“By bringing this chapter, Imam Bukhari has refuted all those who term Qunoot as a novelty.”
Tayseer al Bari Sharh Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, page 79, published by Taj Company limited, Karachi.
We should point out that in the introductory remakrs of this Sahrah of Sahih Bukhari it is written:
“This is the most detailed commentary on Sahih Bukhari in Urdu language. Every hadith has been translated with the additional spices of idioms and phraseology, so that translation no longer smells of just translation and the meaning of hadith is easily memorized. Also the Shrah (commentary) of every hadith has been derived from authentic Shrahs like Fatah al Bari, Kirmani, A`ini and Qastalani etc and the rulings of mujtahideen have also been mentioned for every issue. This translation of Sahih Bukhari is of its own kind”
Allamah Waheed Zaman then proceeds to translate the tradition from Sahih Bukhari:
Narrated ‘Asim:
I asked Anas bin Malik about the Qunut. Anas replied, “Definitely it was (recited)”. I asked, “Before bowing or after it?” Anas replied, “Before bowing.” I added, “So and so has told me that you had informed him that it had been after bowing.” Anas said, “He told something untrue (i.e. “was mistaken,” according to the Hijazi dialect). Allah’s Apostle recited Qunut after bowing for a period of one month.” Anas added, “The Prophet sent about seventy men (who knew the Quran by heart) towards the pagans (of Najd) who were less than them in number and there was a peace treaty between them and Allah’s Apostles (but the Pagans broke the treaty and killed the seventy men). So Allah’s Apostle recited Qunut for a period of one month asking Allah to punish them.”
You can also locate this tradition in the English translation of Sahih Bukhari, Chapter of Vitr Prayer, Volume 2, Book 16, Hadith Number 116.
Allamah Waheed uz Zaman then further writes in the same section:
“According to the Ahl’ul Hadeeth belief, Qunoot is valid both ways, either before or after bowing…. Abdur Razak and Hakim have narrated with Sahih Isnad that Holy Prophet[s] recited Qunoot in morning prayers till he remained alive. Shaf`is are of the view that Qunoot should always be recited after bowing and Hanafis say that it should always be recited before bowing.”
Tayseer al Bari Sharh Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, page 79, published by Taj Company limited, Karachi.
Imam Haythami and Allamah Saleh Shaami recorded:
Al-Bara bin Azeb [ra] said: ‘When ever the prophet (s) prayed the obligatory prayers, he used to recite Qunoot’.
Majma al Zawaid, Volume 2 page 138 Tradition 2829
Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Volume 8 page 141
Both Imam Haythami and Allamah Saleh Shaami stated about this tradition:
“The narrators are reliable”
This proves that the Holy Prophet (s) recited Qunoot in every prayer verified from a Sunni source deemed the most authentic after the Holy Quran. Our opponents should follow the Sunnah instead of mocking those who already follow it.