What is the ruling on reciting with the imam, and what is the ruling on following his recitation from the mushaf?

Question : The questioner asks: What is the ruling on following the imam in his prayer from the mushaf, and also reciting with him, since we see many people here in the Sacred Mosque doing this?

Answer : These are two issues. The first issue is reciting with the imam. This is prohibited in the Book and the Sunnah.
As for the Book, Allah the Exalted said: And the one who recites with the imam has not listened to him. As for the Sunnah, it is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions one day after finishing the Fajr prayer: "Perhaps you are reciting behind your imam?" They said, "Yes." He said, "Do not do so except with the Mother of the Qur'an." So the people stopped reciting while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was reciting, except for the Mother of the Qur'an.
As for the second issue, it is following the imam in the mushaf. This also has no necessity; rather, it is likely disliked. Because it involves several matters. First, movement without need. What is the movement? Carrying the mushaf, lowering it, opening it, and turning its pages. All these are movements that have no connection to the prayer.
Second, it prevents a person from looking at the place of prostration, because he will be looking at the mushaf. The prescribed practice, according to the majority of scholars, is that the one praying looks at the place of his prostration, except when sitting, in which case he looks at the place of his indication. The claim that a person in the Sacred Mosque should look at the Ka'bah is a statement with no evidence for it. Therefore, you should not look at the Ka'bah during prayer, because that will distract you greatly. Who will pass by your gaze? The circumambulators. And you will be occupied with this instead of your prayer, which is more important than looking at the Ka'bah. Third, it prevents a person from placing his right hand over his left hand during the standing in prayer. Placing the right hand over the left is prescribed, as Sa'd ibn Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Is that clear? By the loss of these required matters and the movement that has no necessity, it becomes clear that this is disliked and that it should not be done. However, if it is assumed that the imam is weak in memorization and he says to someone behind him, "Hold the mushaf for me," and this person follows the imam to correct him if he makes a mistake, then this is a need, and there is no harm in it. It also relates to the prayer itself, because it will involve correcting the imam's recitation. But if there is no need, then no. I imagine that if a person holds the mushaf and follows the imam's recitation, his heart will be distracted from the fact that he is in prayer, as if he is with him in a study circle. This is also a defect, because what a person should be in prayer is humble, believing that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is facing him and that He, Glorified and Exalted is He, is conversing with him through His speech. Yes.