The same applies to reciting it in prayer. One group, including Mālik and al-Awzā‘ī, does not recite it either silently or aloud. Another group, including the followers of Ibn Jurayj and al-Shāfi‘ī, recites it aloud. The third, middle group—the great majority of jurists of the hadith tradition, together with the jurists of the legal-reasoning tradition—recites it silently, as reported from the great majority of the Companions. Ahmad, however, acts on the reports transmitted from the Companions concerning this matter and recommends reciting it aloud when doing so serves an overriding benefit. Indeed, he explicitly stated that someone praying in Madinah should recite it aloud. Some of his followers explained that this was because the people there used to object to those who recited it aloud.

It is recommended that a person seek to foster harmony by forgoing such recommended practices, because the religious benefit of fostering harmony is greater than the benefit of performing such acts. Thus, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, refrained from altering the structure of the Ka‘bah because leaving it as it was would foster harmony. Likewise, Ibn Mas‘ūd objected to ‘Uthmān’s performing the prayer in full while travelling, yet then prayed behind him without shortening it, saying, “Discord is evil.”

Although this is a reasonable explanation, Ahmad’s point was that the people of Madinah did not recite it, so it should be recited aloud to make clear that reciting it is Sunnah—just as Ibn ‘Abbās recited the Mother of the Book aloud during the funeral prayer and said, “So that you may know that it is Sunnah,” and just as ‘Umar recited aloud