Likewise, al-Bukhārī cited a report from ʿAlī ibn Abī Tālib in his Book of Recitation behind the Imam. He said: “Al-Hārith narrated from ʿAlī that he would glorify Allah in the last two rakʿahs.” He added: “This is not established as authentic, and ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Abī Rāfiʿ narrated a contrary report. ʿUthmān ibn Saʿīd related to us that he heard ʿUbayd Allāh ibn ʿAmr narrate from Ishāq ibn Rāshid, from al-Zuhrī, from ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Abī Rāfiʿ, the client of Banū Hāshim, who related to him from ʿAlī ibn Abī Tālib:

‘When the imam does not recite aloud in prayer, recite the Opening of the Book and another surah in the first two rakʿahs of the noon and afternoon prayers; and recite the Opening of the Book in the last two rakʿahs of the noon and afternoon prayers, in the last rakʿah of the sunset prayer, and in the last two rakʿahs of the night prayer.’”

Furthermore, the Muslims’ consensus that, for recitation beyond al-Fātihah, the worshipper is instructed to listen rather than recite demonstrates that listening to the imam’s recitation is better for him than reciting along with him. Indeed, it demonstrates that he is instructed to listen rather than recite along with the imam.

Moreover, if recitation were obligatory for the worshipper when the imam recites aloud, one of two things would necessarily follow: either he would recite along with the imam, or the imam would be obliged to pause so that he could recite. Yet we know of no disagreement among the scholars that the imam is not obliged to pause for the worshipper to recite al-Fātihah or anything else. Reciting along with the imam, meanwhile, is prohibited by the Quran and the Sunnah.

It is therefore established that the worshipper is not obliged to recite along with the imam while the latter is reciting aloud. Indeed, we say: if it were recommended for the worshipper to recite while the imam is reciting aloud and he is listening, it would be recommended for the imam to pause for the worshipper’s recitation. Yet it is not recommended for the imam