Does the follower recite the opening chapter of the Qur'an behind the imam in the loud prayers?

The Shaykh : Whether by arguing with the aforementioned hadith , that is an argument based on generality. Here lies the precision of the issue, and it must actually be addressed. The verse, in its generality, includes the prayer and includes the opening chapter because it is Qur'an; indeed, it is the mother of the Qur'an. The hadith, in its generality, includes every prayer . So which of the two generalities is applied to the other to specify it? Here, some scholars say that the general text that remains in its generality and comprehensiveness, without any specification entering it, is stronger in its generality and comprehensiveness than the general text that has been specified. In that case, the broader general text is applied to the specified general text. We mentioned in our previous discussion that the hadith has been specified, and some branches were excluded from it. We mentioned from that the latecomer who caught the imam in bowing; we said that he is considered to have caught the rak'ah even though he did not recite the opening chapter. So what did the scholars do with the hadith ? They said: There is no prayer for one who does not recite the opening chapter of the Qur'an, except for the one who caught the imam in bowing, for the imam's recitation is his recitation. So the hadith is a specified general text, meaning its generality is weakened. Similarly, for example, the hadith of the one who recently converted to Islam and does not recite the opening chapter well, but he glorifies Allah, as we also mentioned with some detail; his prayer is also valid despite the fact that he did not recite the opening chapter of the Qur'an. So what is said? There is no prayer for one who does not recite the opening chapter of the Qur'an, except for the non-Arab who does not recite the opening chapter well. As for the verse, no specification has entered it at all. In that case, the one who hears the recitation is excluded from the hadith, applying the verse and specifying the hadith. And it is strange that this school of thought clarified to the first group, who said that recitation is obligatory even in the loud prayers, that it is not acceptable for the follower to recite while he hears the imam's recitation. So they found, or created, for themselves a way out and an exit, and they said: The imam should be silent so that the follower can devote himself to reciting. This is, as it is said, like being under the rain and then moving under the gutter. Why? He used his intellect and wisdom and found it not digestible for the follower to recite while he hears the imam's recitation. So what did they do? They said to the imam: Become a follower, and follow the follower; be silent so that the follower can recite. This is a reversal of the imam's function. Then this silence is one of the wonders that comes from some imams; they are silent, and there is no silence in the Shari'ah in the prayer. Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as it came in Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim, , and there was no long silence of the two silences except the first one. Therefore, it came in Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah that he said: to the end of the supplication. If there had been another long silence that would allow for the recitation of the opening chapter, they would have asked the Messenger (peace be upon him) as they asked him about the first silence. They said to him: We see you are silent between the opening takbir and the recitation; what do you say? He answered them. So if the Messenger (peace be upon him) had been silent another long silence of that length, and also silent after the opening chapter, why would he say, for example, let the follower recite? None of this was the case at all. So, as we said earlier, they created for themselves an exit from this internal mental debate. It is not reasonable, it is not digestible, that Allah prescribed for the imam to recite in some prayers loudly. Why? So that the follower can hear. So what does it mean to say to the follower: Turn away from listening so that you recite for yourself? This is not acceptable. So what do we do? We find a long silence. Even so, they did not adhere to this long silence; many of these who are silent only half-silence, and one hardly recites half of the opening chapter before he starts reciting. Oh, be silent completely so that he recites the opening chapter in its entirety, or proceed with the recitation. And this is the nature of innovation in religion; it does not complete itself with a person. So this innovation is sufficient to convince the masses of people that the correct school of thought is the school of Imam Malik and Imam Ahmad, who said: Be silent in the loud prayers and recite in the quiet prayers. This is the correct position where the evidences agree completely. They have no argument except the hadith , and we have known that specification has entered it from several aspects. And here it is said: There is no prayer for one who does not recite the opening chapter of the Qur'an if he does not hear the imam's recitation. But if he hears the imam's recitation, the imam's recitation is his recitation. And this is also acceptable with sound reasoning, that when a person hears from another, it is as if he recited for himself. Indeed, it is established in the authentic hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to one of his companions once to Ibn Mas'ud and another time to Ubayy ibn Ka'b: . So this follower who hears the recitation from the imam may find it more beneficial for him than being occupied with reciting the Qur'an himself, and the one who raises his voice to be heard by others. So this is the correct position, if Allah wills, that the follower, if he hears the imam's recitation, does not recite anything of the Qur'an, nor the opening chapter. But if it is a quiet prayer, or if he is far from the imam such that the imam's recitation does not reach him, then in this case he must recite. And we ask Allah, Mighty and Majestic, to guide us all to the truth in which we differ, by His permission, Glorified and Exalted is He.