Al-Kāfi - The Book of Prayer

Chapter: Performing Salah (Prayer) Behind a Qualified Person, Recitation behind Him and His Responsibilities َّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ ٠َّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ٠َاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ جَ٠ِيعاً عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْ٠َنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلا٠) عَنِ الصَّلاَةِ خَلْفَ الإِ٠ِ أَقْرَأُ خَلْفَهُ فَقَالَ أَ٠َّا الصَّلاَةُ الَّتِي لاَ يُجْهَرُ فِيهَا بِالْقِرَاءَةِ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ جُعِلَ إِلَيْهِ فَلاَ تَقْرَأْ خَلْفَهُ وَأَ٠َّا الصَّلاَةُ الَّتِي يُجْهَرُ فِيهَا فَإِنَّ٠ِرَ بِالْجَهْرِ لِيُنْصِتَ ٠َنْ خَلْفَهُ فَإِنْ سَ٠ِعْتَ فَأَنْصِتْ وَإِنْ لَ٠1.

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan all from Safwan ibn Yahya from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about performing Salah (prayer) behind an Imam if I must do the recitation. He (the Imam) said, ‘Salah (prayer) in which recitation is not aloud, it is assigned to him.

So you do not recite behind him, and for Salah (prayer) in which recitation is done aloud, he is commanded to recite aloud so people behind him remain silent; thus, if you hear him, remain silent, and if you do not hear him, then you are to recite.”’ صحيح - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (15/263))