Rationally, if a phrase is part of the Qur’an, then reciting it audibly or silently depends on how the Prophet ﷺ practiced it — not on personal preference. The question is not whether to recite the basmalah, but how the Prophet recited it.

The Qur’an states:

> “Indeed, it is from Solomon, and indeed it is: In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.” (Qur’an 27:30)

This verse proves that Bismillāh is a Qur’anic verse. Furthermore, in Shiʿi jurisprudence, it is considered part of Surah al-Fātiḥah, making its recitation obligatory.

From Sunni sources:

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Dāraquṭnī and Sunan al-Bayhaqī narrate that the Prophet ﷺ recited Bismillāh aloud.

Imam al-Shāfiʿī explicitly held that Bismillāh is a verse of al-Fātiḥah and should be recited audibly in audible prayers. Thus, the Shiʿi practice aligns with a well-established Sunni legal position.