reciting as such. Rather, it indicates that a follower should not raise his voice so as to compete with the imam, as some followers do, and as the imam himself may sometimes do. As Abū Qatādah said:

“He would sometimes let us hear a verse.”

It also provides evidence that he did not command them to recite behind him in silent prayers, whether al-Fātihah or anything else. Had he commanded them to do so, he would not have questioned their reciting behind him. Nor did he question their recitation of a particular surah; rather, he said:

“Which of you recited?” or “Which of you was reciting?”

Moreover, it is clear from customary practice that the person reciting behind him would only have recited “Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High” after al-Fātihah. This therefore indicates that a follower is not obliged to recite in silent prayers, whether al-Fātihah or anything else.

This is also indicated by the hadith of Abū Bakr: when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, appointed him to lead the prayer while he went to reconcile Banū Amr ibn Awf, he then returned and continued reciting from where Abū Bakr had left off. Likewise, in the hadith of Abū Bakrah narrated by al-Bukhārī in his Sahīh, he bowed before reaching the row and then joined the prayer. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him:

“May Allah increase your eagerness, but do not do that again.”

Had reciting al-Fātihah been obligatory upon the follower in every circumstance, it would not have been waived because of late arrival or ignorance. Thus, he said to the Bedouin who prayed incorrectly:

“Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.”

And he commanded the man who prayed alone behind the row to repeat the prayer.