The Book of Characteristics · Hadith 827 (#Ḥadīth #1)

7-17 حدثنا أبي رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن أبيه، عن أحمد بن عبد الله الخليجي، عن أبي علي الحسن بن راشد قال: سألت الرضا عليه السلام عن تكبيرة الافتتاح، فقال: سبع قلت: روي عن النبي صلى اله عليه وآله إنه كان يكبر واحدة، فقال: إن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله كان يكبر واحدة يجهز بها ويسر ستا

7-17 (The compiler of the book narrated) that his father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Abdullah al-Khalijee, on the authority of the father of Ali al-Hassan ibn Rashid, “I asked Al-Ridha (MGB) about the number of times the Allahu Akbars (God is Great) are said before the start of the prayer. He (MGB) replied, ‘It is seven times.’ I said, ‘It has been narrated that God’s Prophet (MGB) said it only once.’ The Imam replied, ‘God’s Prophet (MGB) said it loudly once and said it quietly the other six times.’”

Gradings are classical jarḥ-wa-taʿdīl, name-matched to a rijāl index (not individually re-verified).