"The Prophet said, what translated means: "There is no prayer for whoever does not read the Fati'hah of the Book (the first chapter of the Qur'an)." This Hadith is correct and is narrated by the two correct books of Hadith (Al- Bukhari and Muslim). Followers of Hanafi Mathhab rejected this Hadith saying that it is in opposition to what was mentioned in the Qur'an! Allah said what translated means, {So recite as much of the Qur'an as may be easy (for you).} [73:20]
Therefore they changed its meaning because it is an Ahad Hadith, as they claimed. However the leader of Hadith scholars, Al-Bukhari, said in the beginning of "Chapter: Book of reciting," that this Hadith is a Mutawatir from the Messenger of Allah.
What these people were supposed to do was to benefit from the knowledge of this Imam who specialised in Hadith. They should have changed their mind that this Hadith is Ahad. They could have accepted this Hadith, joined it with the Ayah, and said that the Hadith is restricting the general meaning of the Ayah. We say this, knowing fully that this Ayah is about the voluntary prayer at night. It is not about what one must read in the compulsory prayer!!" (The Hadith is Proof..., Al-Albani; from the Introduction by: Muhammad Eid Al-Abbasi, p. 79f; emphasis added)

"This hadith and the forgoing ones in this chapter prove beyond doubt that the recitation of Surat al-Fatiha in every rakah of the prayer is essential, and if it is not recited one is not credited with having observed one's prayer. There is perfect agreement among the jurists on this basic point. The difference, however, is on the nature of recitation. Imam Shafii and some other Fuqaha are of the view that the recitation of Surah Fatihah by each individual is essential in all rakas and in both types of prayer (jahri, in which the Imam recites loudly and in sirri in which the Imam recites inwardly).
Imam Malik and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal are of the opinion that in jahri prayers when the recitation of the Imam is audible to his followers, one should only listen to him attentively as the recitation of the Imam would absolve the followers of the responsibility of its recitation.
According to Imam Abu Hanifa, even in sirri prayers, the followers need not recite Surat al-Fatihah as the recitations of the Imam (even though it is done inwardly) is sufficient for the followers." (Sahih Muslim, English version, Vol. 1, p 217, ft. 616; emphasis added)

"(13) HOLY PROPHET (S.A.)'S FORGETTING
TWO RAKA'TS WHILE OFFERING PRAYERS

Bukhari and Muslim have related in their Saheehs in connection with forgetfulness that Abu Huraira related that the Holy Prophet (S.A.) offered one of the Isha prayer (or probably Asr prayer) in only two Raka'ts then he recited Salam and stood up towards a post in the fore part of the Mosque and placed his hand on it. Among the people there were Abu Bakr and Umar but they felt hesitant to talk to him. The people came out hurriedly and they said, "Did you shorten the prayer?" And a man came out whom the Holy Prophet (S.A.) used to call Zul Yadain said, "Did you forget or shorten it?" The Holy Prophet said, "I neither forgot nor did I shorten." He said, "Then you did forget." Thereupon he offered two Raka'ts, recited Salam, then recited Takbeer and performed prostration."

... the man shown as Zul Yadain in this tradition is really Zush Shimalain Ibne Abd Amr, ally of Bani Zohra, and he had been martyred in the Battle of Badr five years before Abu Huraira embraced Islam. This is confirmed by the Chief of Bani Zohra Muhammad Bin Muslim Zohri as is shown in Isaba of Ibne Hajar Asqalani, in Istee-aab, and all the commentaries of the two Saheehs of Bukhari and Muslim. It is also confirmed by Sauri in two of the most reliable traditions narrated by him and by Abu Hanifa when they stopped acting on this tradition, and gave verdict against it, as has been shown in the commentary of Saheeh of Muslim by Novi. Nisai also shows that Zul Yadain is the same as Zush Shimalain. The same point is further clarified by Imam Ahmed in his Musnad, Volume 2, page 271 and also page 284.
It is also noteworthy that the version of this tradition as adopted by Muslim in his Saheeh, volume 1, page 216, contains the words of Abu Huraira as "Once when I was offering Zohr prayer with the Prophet of Allah he recited the Salam after two Raka'ts ..." up to the end of the tradition including the conversation between Zul Yadain (or Zush Shimalain) etc. Since Zul Yadain had been martyred in Badr had been martyred in Badr five years before Abu Huraira embraced Islam and came to the Holy Prophet (S.A.), their whole tradition can be given no credence at all." (Abu Huraira, Mossvi, p. 46f; emphasis added)

we do with it. He said, "If it comes through reliable narrators we should act upon it and disregard our own opinion". Then I said, "What do you say about Abu Bakr and Umar." He said, "In their case I would forbid you from personal opinion". I said, "And Ali (A.S.) and Usman". He said, "The same". When he saw that I was naming the Companions one by one he said, "The Companions are all just except a few", then he excepted Abu Huraira and Anas Bin Malik.
In short, it is clear that Abu Hanifa and other great Companions used to reject the traditions of Abu Huraira when they conflicted with their opinions. For example, Abu Huraira and all the Companions are agreed that Salat (prayer) becomes void by speaking whether in forgetfulness, in ignorance or under the impression of the offerer that he has finished. The Hanafi school of fiqh is clear on the point and the same view is held by Sufian Souri. This means that they attach no value to the tradition of Abu Huraira wherein he narrated that: The Holy Prophet (S.A.) once forgot and finished a four-raka't prayer at the end of two raka'ts, then he stood up from his prayer-place and went to his apartment. Then he came back when it was said to him, "Did you shorten the prayer or you forgot it". He replied, "I neither cut it short nor did I forget". Then they said, "But you only offered two raka'ts with us". And after some exchange of conversation between him and them he believed what they were saying. So basing on the previous two raka'ts he completed the prayer then offered prostration for forgetfulness.
On this basis Imam Malik, Imam Shafei and Imam Ahmad have held that speaking in forgetfulness during prayer, or the belief of the offerer that he is no more engaged in it does not make it void. Since, however, Abu Hanifa did not accept Abu Huraira's tradition he holds the prayer void in such a case." (Abu Huraira, Mossvi, p. 93f)

"...Malik strongly supported the view that the practice of the people of Medina was a major factor in accepting a Hadith or rejecting it. If a Hadith was found against the practice of the people of Medina, he would prefer the practice to the Hadith itself.... 
Shafi'i also recognises a weak Hadith as authentic if it is found to be accepted by the whole Ummah. (See Al-Sakawi: Fath al-Mugith). 
But he doesn't accept Malik's view of restricting the practice to the people of Medina. According to later scholars of Hanafi school like Ibn al-Humam, a Hadith will be declared Sahih, if it is supported by the practice of the Ummah. (See Abd al-Rashid Nu'mani: Ma tamusu ilaihe al-Haja, p. 18). 
Among traditionists, Tirmidhi often remarks, after quoting a less authentic Hadith: 
'It is being practiced by the people of learning (Ahl `Ilm)'. 
Suyuti deduces: It indicates that the Hadith is supported by the sayings of the people of learning. More than one scholar has said that a Hadith is declared Sahih if supported by the sayings of the people of learning, even if it lacks a proper Isnad. (See Suyuti: al-Ta'aqubat, folio 20). 
Tirmidhi had also said: All that is found in this book (al-Sunan) is being practiced and adopted by the people of learning except two Ahadith. (ibn Rajab: Kitab al-'Ilal, p. 43). 
Ahmad adheres to the Hadith strictly and gives it preference to any practice, opinion or analogy. Ibn Qayyim (d. 751 A.H./1350 A.D.) among later scholars has supported this view strongly. Similar is the view of Sheikh Ibn Taymiyya. (See Ibn Qayyim: I'lam al-waqqi'in, 2:361-366). 
...no one has declared a Sahih Hadith as weak if it is not supported by the practice. But most scholars are inclined to find reasons for the absence of the practice in relation to a particular Hadith. The most likely reason is that the implication of that particular Hadith is abrogated. 
Muhammad b Ibrahil al-Wazir (d. 840 A.H./ 1446 A.D.) in his book al-Ruad al-Basim has given ninety nine examples of such Hadith as [are] known to be abrogated. But to him only twenty seven of them are found to be abrogated by the consensus of the scholars. 
...those who gave preference to the practice of the people of Medina in particular or the practice of the whole Ummah in general, would certainly adopt the practice as a deciding factor if two Ahadith are found contradictory while one of them is supported by the practice." (Criticism..., p. 130ff)

"Two points:
1. Attacking the credibility of some hadiths is not the same as attacking the credibility of all hadith. I have not claimed that all hadiths are spurious. Some of them are probably authentic, though on the whole the determination of the authentic core is difficult and uncertain.
2. Rejecting an individual hadith with a good (sahih) isnad is not necessarily attacking Islam. Many classical Muslim scholars agreed that a hadith could have good (sahih) isnads and still be spurious. So, "sahih" is not synonymous with authentic. Al-Nawawi states that outright. 
One may also cite Ibn al-Jawzi. In his {kitab al-mawdu'at min al-hadith al-marfu'at} (Book of Fabricated Prophetic Traditions) he cites some hadiths with good isnads that he thinks are fabrications. He thinks that in such cases the hadith was originated by somebody not listed in the isnad. (Don't be surprised; that could happen easily, e.g. due to the transmitters' widespread practice of omitting one's immediate authority/authorities when handing down the tradition. Transmitters who engaged in this practice were still deemed reliable and their hadiths are to be found in collections such as Bukhari's and Muslim's.)
Perhaps Malik b. Anas is relevant in this regard too. He sometimes overruled Prophetic hadiths with good isnads, i.e. isnads that later came to be known as "sahih," if their contents went against the prevailing practice of Medinan authorities. Many Malikites thought that the "Practice of Medina" preserved the Prophetic Sunna better than hadith did.
Of course, there are also many scholars who say that every sahih hadith is authentic. Many of them go so far as to attach miraculous properties to the physical collections of hadith. For example, some said that a ship would not sink if there was a copy of Bukhari's _ (sic) Sahih_ (sic) in it.
I happen to agree with the view that "sahih" is not synonymous with authentic. There are several historical reasons for this view which can be

explained based on the study of the usual classical methods of hadith transmission and isnad & rijal criticism, and the historical evolution of these fields. I will not get into any of the arguments in this post.
Is my position anti-Islamic? For most people "anti-Islamic" is whatever they were taught to be so by their teachers. If somebody thinks I'm anti-Islamic, all I can say is, "I don't think so."
As for the question of whether it's reasonable to reject mutawatir hadiths (i.e. multiple and allegedly independent reports of sense observation), the issue boils down to exactly how tawatur is defined. Many definitions were proposed in the past, and today we may choose to give additional definitions. By most of these definitions, relatively very few hadiths end up qualifying for tawatur. And by *some* of the more strict definitions proposed by classical scholars of jurisprudence (usul), no hadith actually qualifies. So the question of whether mutawatir hadiths are authentic or not becomes moot in many cases, since there are so few of them.
For examples of classical proposals of how to define tawatur, see:
Kamali, Mohammad Hashim, {Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence},
Pelanduk Publications, 1989.
Now, are any of the traditions for/against writing hadiths _ (sic) mutawatir_ (sic)? Their isnads are listed or cited in this excellent article by Michael Cook:
"The opponents of the writing of tradition in early Islam,"
Arabica, vol. XLIV, no. 4, October 1997, pp. 437-530.
as well as in some other works on the subject of writing (Azami, Abbot,
Sezgin). None of these traditions is mutawatir, by any of the many different formal definitions proposed for tawatur." 
(Re: Was The Sunnah Preserved, Behnam Sadeghi, soc.religion.islam, Aug. 24, 1999; Internet article; italics added; URL unavailable)

"... 2. Rejecting an individual hadith with a good (sahih) isnad is not
necessarily attacking Islam. Many classical Muslim scholars agreed that a
hadith could have good (sahih) isnads and still be spurious.
Agreed, like I said before, "mutawaatir" is based on transmission, while "saHeeH" is based on the isnad, reporter, matn, etc. The only type of hadith that is accepted in the Islamic creed is the hadith mutawaatir. 
So, "sahih" 
is not synonymous with authentic. Al-Nawawi states that outright.
Agreed, An-Nawawi talks about this issue in his preface and commentary to "SharH SaHeeH Muslim." Because what composes the Islamic creed is of course and mutawaatir hadiths. There is no "DHann" or doubt in mutawaatir, according to many muhaddith and lexicons such as "Lisan al-Arab," "ilm" is the complete opposite of "DHann," and hadith ahad is not free from DHann. 
Some of those that said hadith ahad does not provided certainty are Al Kamal bin Al Humaam (at Tahrir vol. 2 pg 368), Al Aamidi (Al Ahkaam vol. 2 pg 49-50), Ibn Taymiyyah (some say he believe hadith ahad is taken in the Creed, but please refer to his book "Al Musawwadah pg. 236-244), Al Ansari

(Fatawih ur Rahmoot fee Sharhi Muslim ath Thaboot vol. 2 pg, 121), Ash Shawkani (Irshaad al Fuhool pg, 48-49).
One may also cite Ibn al-Jawzi. In his {kitab al-mawdu'at min al-hadith
al-marfu'at} (Book of Fabricated Prophetic Traditions) he cites some
hadiths with good isnads that he thinks are fabrications. He thinks that
in such cases the hadith was originated by somebody not listed in the 
isnad. 
The criterion for authentication of hadith is not the same for every scholar who is a scholar of hadith. That is why the level of transmission is more important that who or what regards a hadith to be saheeh, hasan, da'eef, mawdu', etc. 
As for the question of whether it's reasonable to reject mutawatir hadiths
(i.e. multiple and allegedly independent reports of sense observation),
the issue boils down to exactly how tawatur is defined. 
Of course I am quite aware of this issue. Different scholars have different criterion for Tawaatur, but it is all agreed that Tawaatur does not have or imply any doubt whatsoever. 
By most of these definitions, relatively very few hadiths
end up qualifying for tawatur.
That is true, but according to Islamic jurisprudence, the minimum number of transmitter to classify something as Mutawaatir is generally five." (24/09/99;
(http://x23.deja.com/getdoc.xp?AN=516754645&search=thread&CONTEXT=940809945.738656328&hitnum=6)

"Regarding the issue of tawatur...:
The numbers cited for the required minimum number of independent transmitters of a hadith at each stage of transmission are usually between 4 and 100....
P.S. Incidentally, as a side note: I do not think the Qur'an can be shown to be mutawatir at all. At least not based on evidence which itself is near-certain."
(http://x23.deja.com/getdoc.xp?AN=517081477.2&search=thread&CONTEXT=940809945.738656328&hitnum=7)

"Certainty establishs (sic) truth from falsehood, without it, we are left with conjecture and wishful thinking. We live in a reality where facts are truth and fiction is falsehood. If you can not prove a belief, than you should not tout it or give the impressing of touting it as a fact or the closest thing to it."
" I don't think that a report must be mutawatir, i.e. established
as nearly-certain, for it to form the core creed ('aqida). If one were to
hold this view, then nothing would remain of Islam! "
(http://x23.deja.com/getdoc.xp?AN=518288516&search=thread&CONTEXT=940809945.738656328&hitnum=11)

"What is Abrogated?
According to some scholars the Qur'an abrogates only the Qur'an. They base their view on suras 2:106 and 16:101. According to them the Qur'an does not abrogate the sunna nor does the sunna abrogate the Qur'an. This is, in particular, the view held by Shafi'i.
Others are of the opinion that the Qur'an may abrogate the Qur'an as well as the sunna. They base their view on Sura 53:3-4.
There is also the view that there are four classes of naskh:
1 Qur'an abrogates Qur'an.
2 Qur'an abrogates sunna.
3 Sunna abrogates Qur'an.
4 Sunna abrogates sunna." (Ulum, Von Denffer, p. 107f) 

- "Although the companions of Muhammad are reported to have discussed naskh, and even to have disagreed over the abrogation of a particular verse, references to the generation of the companions in the naskh literature are relatively infrequent.

[[N.B. - Footnote 9 states: But see Ibn Salama, al-Nasikh wa 'l-mansukh (Cairo 1315/1899), 142-3, where `Ali and Ibn 'Abbas disagree over the abrogation of Q4/94; `Ali maintained that the verse was abrogated by Q4/115 and 4/48, while Ibn 'Abbas held that it remained muhkama."]] (p. 117)

For example, although the majority of scholars consider Q2/62 to have been abrogated by Q3/85, Mujahid ibn Jabr (d. 101/722) and al-Dahhak ibn Muzahim (d 105/723) considered the verse to be muhkama." (p. 119)

- "The number of verses that are considered to have been abrogated increased dramatically between the eighth and eleventh centuries (al-Zuhri mentions 42 abrogated verses, al-Nahhas 138, and Ibn Salama, 238), at which point an upper limit seems to have been reached (Ibn 'Ata'iqi identifies 231 abrogated verses, and al-Farsi, 248). (p.122)

- "al-Suyuti (d. 911/1505) recognised only twenty [20] instances of true abrogation and Shah Wali Allah (d 1762) reduced that number to five [5]. 

[N.B. - Footnote 26 states: "these figures are mentioned in Ernest Hahn, 'Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan's The Controversy over Abrogation (in the Qur'an): An Annotated Translation, MW64 (1974), 124.] 

Ibn al-'Ata'iqi, on the other hand, while citing 231 instances of abrogation, appendixes the phrase wa fihi nazar, indicating doubt or uncertainty to his discussion of twenty-six [26] verses."

With such wide variations in understanding one must wonder how Muslim scholars can declare, like Ibn Salama, that 'science of abrogation and abrogated verse' is, in the investigation of the Qur'an, the starting point! Furthermore he states that one is 'deficient' (naqis) who, before mastering the doctrine of abrogation engages in a true (scientific) study of the Qur'an. [see Ibn Salama p 4-5] (p. 123)

- "Anas ibn Malik (d. C. 92/710) for example, related that during the lifetime of Muhammad the believers used to recite a sura equal in length to sura 9 ('Repentance'), but that he could only remember one verse from this sura, namely, If the son of Adam had two valleys made of silver...'" 

[[N.B. - Footnote 34 states: "Ibn al-'Ata'iqi, p. 23; cf. Ibn Salama, pp 10ff"]] (p. 125)

- "There is also considerable disagreement over the scope of abrogation within the Qur'an itself. At one extreme, there were apparently certain people who argued the 'the Qur'an does not contain either an abrogated or an abrogating verse' 

[[N.B. - Footnote 38 states: "Ibn Salama, p. 26; cf. Al-Nahhas, pp 2-3"]], these people, according to Ibn Salama, 'have deviated from the truth and by virtue of their lying, have turned away from God'. [[N.B.- Footnote 39 reads "Ibn Salama, p. 26]]

"The scholars of the Ahl as-Sunnah took the nass³ (Qur'an and Sunnah) with their outward meanings. That is, they gave the ayats and Hadiths their outward meanings, and did not explain away (ta`wil) the nass or change these meanings unless there was a darura (necessity) to do so. And, they never made any changes with their personal knowledge or opinions. But those who belonged to heretical groups and the la-Madhhabi (those who do not belong to one of the four Madhhabs) did not hesitate to change the teachings of Iman and ibadat (worship) as they learned from the books of the Greek philosophers and from sham scientists, who were Islam's adversaries." (Al-Albani Unveiled, ibn Muhammad, p. 124; underlining added)

"Ibn Al-Qayyim also said: "We do not claim that Allah obligated all His creation to know the evidence to the truth in every matter of the religion, major or minor. What we reject is the same that was rejected by the Imams, the Companions and the Tabi'in (the second generation of Islam) before them. We reject what happened after the best three centuries of Islam, and during the fourth century that the Messenger of Allah criticized.⁴ They (the fourth and later generations) took sayings of one man and treated his Fatwas as if they were coming from the Legislator (Allah, the Qur'an and Sunnah). They even preferred these sayings to the text of the Legislator and sayings of all other scholars of the nation of the Messenger of Allah. They preferred to Taqleed of their Imam and shunned referring, for judgment, to the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Messenger and the sayings of the companions. They also claim that whomever they follow do not say other than what is found in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. This testimony is based on ignorance and saying that of which they have no knowledge. This saying also implies that whoever is in opposition to their Mathhab is in disagreement with the Qur'an and the Sunnah, even if he was more knowledgeable. They either say: 'My Imam is correct,' or they may say that all the Imams are correct in all their sayings and that all their sayings are in accordance with the Qur'an and the Sunnah, even though sayings of different Imams are in disagreement with each other! This claim means that evidence from the Qur'an and the Sunnah are in opposition to each other. This saying means that Allah and His Messenger issued conflicting Commandments about the same matter at the same time. The religion of these people is following the opinions of men. These people are indecisive about matters of religion. They either follow this path, saying that all Imams are correct, or refute followers of other Imams. This is their only path. This is the blessing of Taqleed!!" (Hadith is Proof, al-Albani, p. 103f; emphasis added)