Chapter on the Rulings of Congregational Prayer (the Minimum Number for Congregational Prayer, the Description of the Imam, Who Is to Be Followed and Who Is Not to Be Followed, Recitation Behind Both of Them, the Rulings of Those Led in Prayer, and Other Such Rulings Related to It)

Muhammad ibn Yaqub narrated from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn and Muhammad ibn Ismail from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan, all from Safwan ibn Yahya from Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj, who said: I asked Aba Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, about prayer behind the imam (of prayer), should I recite behind him? Imam عليه السلام said: “As for the prayer in which the recitation is not done aloud, then that has been assigned to him (the imam of prayer), so do not recite behind him. But as for the prayer in which the recitation is done aloud, then we were only commanded to recite aloud so that those behind him may listen attentively. So if you hear, then remain silent; and if you do not hear, then recite.”