and peace be upon him—so we are to follow his example in this, though doing so is not obligatory, for Allah—mighty and majestic—says:

“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example.” [al-Ahzāb: 21]

ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb clarified this when he said, “Allah has not prescribed it for us unless we choose it.” Thus, according to Mālik’s position, whoever prostrates is rewarded, while whoever omits the prostration incurs no sin, except insofar as this reflects an aversion to observing the sunnahs. Abū Hanīfah held that prostration is obligatory and that whoever omits it sins. Mālik’s position is correct, since there is no explicit text establishing its obligation in either the Quran or the Sunnah, nor has the Muslim community reached consensus upon it. Obligatory duties can be established only through one of these three sources.

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As for determining who is required to prostrate at these passages and who is not, distinctions must be made. By consensus, a person reciting the Quran, whether within prayer or outside it, is required to prostrate at the prostration passages. However, it is disliked for an imam to recite a surah containing a prostration passage, lest he confuse those praying behind him. It has also been said that he may recite it if those behind him are few and he is confident that he will not confuse any of them. In prayers in which recitation is silent, however, he should not recite a surah containing a prostration passage under any circumstances. Ibn al-Qāsim considered it preferable for someone praying alone to avoid reciting such a surah in an obligatory prayer, lest this cause him to make an inadvertent error in his prayer. He said that this was the position he had seen Mālik adopt.

As for someone listening to the recitation, if he sits to listen for the purpose of learning and memorization, he prostrates when the reciter prostrates. There is disagreement over whether he is required to prostrate if the reciter does not. If he sits to listen to the recitation seeking reward, he is not required to prostrate if the reciter does not. If the reciter does prostrate, there are two opinions as to whether the listener is required to prostrate with him. All of this applies when the reciter is someone whose leadership in prayer would be valid. If, however, someone sits with a reciter specifically so that the latter will recite a prostration passage and he can prostrate along with him, he should not prostrate with him, because doing this is disliked.

There is disagreement concerning a teacher or Quran instructor who sits to hear the Quran recited to him. According to one view, he prostrates with the person reciting to him at the first prostration passage encountered, provided that the reciter has reached puberty, but he is not required to prostrate thereafter whenever another prostration passage occurs. According to another view, he is not required to do so, even the first time.