Is it permissible for the follower to open the mushaf to follow the imam?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Whether the imam reads from the mushaf or the follower opens the mushaf to follow the imam, both are among the newly invented matters. You do not need us to remind you of his saying (peace be upon him): and the saying of the scholars:
"And all good is in following those who came before, and all evil is in innovating what those who came after have introduced."
And I have said, and I continue to say: One of the reasons why some of the scholars of the Salaf stated the dislike of the imam reading from the mushaf in the night prayer is that this reading becomes a practical cause—and peace be upon you—a practical cause for the imams of the mosques to not be among those who memorize the Qur'an by heart. And in that—and peace be upon you—in that lies a neglect of two matters: the first—and peace be upon you—is specific to the imams of the mosques, for it is expected of them that they be among the memorizers of the Noble Qur'an. The other matter is general, in that there is an authentic hadith in which the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) addressed the entire community, namely his saying: This Qur'an, which the memorizer of the Qur'an keeps in check, if he neglects it, if he neglects it, it slips away from him just as camels slip away from their tether. Camels are known to be fierce in nature, and due to their ferocity, they may break the rope by which they are led, and they run wild. Thus, the simile is struck because the open sinner or the wicked person runs wild against Allah like the running of a camel. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded in this hadith all Muslims to keep this Qur'an in check and to sing with it. Why keep it in check? Because it slips away from the chests. Therefore, any means that contradicts the command of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)—any command it may be, and we are currently under his command to keep the Qur'an in check—any means that contradicts the goal the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) aimed at in this command, which is keeping it in check, is contrary to the Shari'ah, let alone if it is contrary to the guidance of the righteous Salaf. It was not known or famous among the righteous Salaf that the imams of the mosques would lead people in the night prayer of Ramadan from the mushaf, whereas they led them from what was settled and established in their chests due to their care for memorizing the Noble Qur'an. Therefore, we are with those Salaf who explicitly stated the dislike of reading from the mushaf by the imam who leads people. I do not recall that the question from which this answer originated, or the one that caused this answer, passed by me, which is the follower opening the mushaf to follow the imam. What is said regarding the imam reading from the mushaf is said exactly the same regarding the follower opening the mushaf. It is expected that not only the imam in the mosque be a memorizer of the Qur'an, but it should also be the case that there are not just one memorizer, but also memorizers in the mosque who follow the imam from their chests, not from their mushafs. Therefore, the answer to what came in the question directly, "Is it permissible for the follower to open the mushaf to follow the imam?" is the same answer as that concerning the imam. Both matters are disliked religiously. This is the answer to this question. Yes.