—need to hear the imam’s takbīr, since he can see him bow and prostrate. This is unlike rising from bowing and prostration, for the follower cannot see the imam and therefore needs to know that he has risen by hearing his takbīr.

The hadith of Ibn Abzā confirms the soundness of Ahmad’s explanation: Ibn Abzā prayed behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who did not pronounce all the takbīrs, for he would not pronounce the takbīr when lowering himself. This is how Abū Dāwūd al-Tayālisī narrated it from Shuba, from al-Hasan ibn Imrān, from Saīd ibn Abd al-Rahmān ibn Abzā, from his father.

Abū Umar ibn Abd al-Barr, like others, assumed that these early Muslims did not pronounce the takbīr when lowering or rising. He used this as evidence that doing so is not obligatory, since they would not allow the Muslim community to persist in abandoning an obligation. Indeed, it was even narrated of Ibn Umar that “when he prayed an obligatory prayer alone, he would pronounce the takbīr, but he would not do so in a voluntary prayer.” Abū Umar said: “Ahmad would report nothing from Ibn Umar unless it was sound in his view, Allah willing.”

He continued: “As for Mālik’s report from Nāfi, from Ibn Umar, that ‘he would pronounce the takbīr in prayer whenever he lowered or raised himself,’ its apparent meaning indicates that he did so whether he was leading the prayer or not.”

I say: There is no doubt about Mālik’s report, and what Ahmad mentioned does not contradict it. Ibn Abd al-Barr, however, misunderstood Ahmad’s words. Ahmad was speaking only about the takbīr after prayer during the days of the Greater Eid, not the takbīr within the prayer. This is why Ahmad distinguished between obligatory and voluntary prayers, saying: “I prefer that the takbīr be pronounced after obligatory prayers, but not after voluntary prayers.” Neither Ahmad nor anyone else drew a distinction concerning—