As for the rest of the verbal utterances, it makes no difference whether you speak in unison with the imam, precede him, or lag behind him. Thus, if it were supposed that you heard the imam reciting the tashahhud and you completed it before him, this causes no harm, because preceding the imam in verbal utterances—apart from the opening takbir and the salām—has no effect and causes no harm. Likewise, if you preceded him in reciting al-Fatihah, reaching, “and not of those who go astray,” while he was reciting, “You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help,” in the Dhuhr prayer, for example, there is no harm in this. For it is prescribed for the imam in the Dhuhr and Asr prayers to make a verse audible to the people on occasion, as the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, used to do. (1)

The second type is moving in unison in actions. This is disliked; it has also been said that it is contrary to the sunnah, though the stronger view is that it is disliked.

An example of moving in unison is when the imam says, “Allah is Most Great,” for bowing and begins to bend down, and you begin bending down at precisely the same time as the imam. This is disliked, because the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, said: “When he bows, then bow; and do not bow until he has bowed.” Likewise, in prostration: when he says the takbir for prostration, you prostrate and reach the ground at the same time as he does. This is disliked, because the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, prohibited it, saying: “Do not prostrate until he has prostrated.” (2)

Al-Bara ibn Azib said: Whenever the Prophet, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, said, “Allah hears whoever praises Him,” none of us would bend his back until the Prophet, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, had gone down into prostration; then we would fall into prostration after him. (3)