Are both of the following narrations correct, or is one preferred over the other?
كل أمر ذي بال لا يبدأ فيه ببسم الله الرحمٰن الرحيم فهو أقطع رواه الرهاوي في الأربعين من حديث أبي هريرة
كل أمر ذي بال لا يبدأ فيه بحمد الله فهو أقطع وروى ابن حبان وأبو داود والنسائي من حديث أبي هريرة مرفوعا
Answer
The second Hadith is the preferred one since it has been declared reliable by several Muhaddithun, among them: Imam Ibn Hibban (rahimahullah).
I will translate this one for the benefit of all:
Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (radiyallahu’anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) said:
‘Any matter of importance that is not started with praises for Allah will remain void of blessing’
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 4807 & Sahih Ibn Hibban; Al Ihsan, Hadith: 1 & 2)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,
Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar