Ibn ‘Umar and al-Bayadi reported God’s Messenger as saying, “He who prays holds intimate converse with his Lord, so he must consider how he does so, and none of you must recite the Qur’an more loudly than others.
Abu Huraira said that when God’s Messenger had finished a prayer in which he had recited aloud, he asked, “Did any of you recite along with me just now?” When a man replied that he had, he said, “I am wondering what is the matter with me that I should be contended with regarding the Qur’an.” He said that when the people heard that from God’s Messenger they ceased reciting along with him the passages which he recited aloud in the prayers.
Malik, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, and Nasa'i transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted something similar.
Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The imam is appointed only to be followed, so when he says the takbir, say it also; and when he recites, listen silently.”
We were behind the Prophet at the dawn prayer, and he recited a passage, but the recitation became difficult for him. Then when he finished he said, “Perhaps you recite behind your imam?” We replied, “Yes, Messenger of God.” He said, “Do it only when it is Fatihat al-Kitab, for he who does not include it in his recitation is not credited with having prayed.”
Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Nasa’i has something to the same effect. In a version by Abu Dawud he said, “I am wondering what is the matter with me that the Qur’an should be at variance with me. So do not recite any of the Qur’an when I recite aloud, except Umm al-Qur'an."
