does not establish an obligation.

His words, “For there is no prayer for one who does not recite it,” explain this exception by reference to the obligation to recite it in prayer. Its status as a pillar of prayer warrants exempting its recitation from the prohibition in this situation for someone praying behind an imam, even if it is not obligatory upon him. This resembles collective obligations: when one group fulfils them, the obligation is discharged, yet others may subsequently perform them. They are still described as collective obligations, even though those others may regard the obligation as discharged through someone else’s performance.

For this reason, it is said that the funeral prayer may be performed at times when prayer is prohibited because it is obligatory—even when performed a second time, according to the sounder of the two views. This is because those performing it do so as an obligatory prayer, although they may regard the obligation as discharged through someone else’s performance. Likewise, reciting al-Fātihah is a pillar of prayer, but someone praying behind an imam may content himself with his imam’s recitation, or he may discharge the obligation himself.

This resembles the charity due at the end of Ramadan, which a person assumes on someone else’s behalf, such as that due from his wife. Does this obligation fall upon the husband from the outset, or does he assume it on her behalf? There are two views. The sounder is that he assumes it on her behalf. Thus, if the wife paid it herself, that would be valid. She therefore has the choice of paying it herself or requiring her husband to pay it. If the husband paid it and she subsequently paid it herself without counting his payment, that too would be valid.

The imam, however, must recite, and he assumes the recitation on behalf of the person praying behind him. A single recitation therefore suffices for both the imam and the person following him. If the latter recites for himself, that is good, as with other collective obligations. For imams, however, this is an individual obligation.