898 - 'Abd al-A'la al-Narsi narrated to us, saying: 'Abd al-Jabbar ibn al-Ward al-Makki narrated to us, saying: Ibn Abi Mulaykah narrated to us, saying: 'Ubayd Allah ibn Abi Yazid said: While I was standing, Abu Lubabah passed by us, and I heard him say: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: "He is not one of us who does not chant (yataghanna) the Quran."
I then said to Ibn Abi Mulaykah: "O Abu Muhammad, what if he does not have a beautiful voice?" He replied: "He should beautify it as much as he can."
899 - Yahya al-Himmani narrated to us, saying: Abu Mas'ud narrated to us, saying: Abu Sa'd narrated to us, saying: "I saw myself and 'Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Aswad walking at night in the streets of Kufa, visiting the mosques during Ramadan, seeking beautiful voices [in recitation]."
Chapter: One Who Does Not Recite Behind the Imam
• I asked Ishaq, saying: What if he leaves out the Opening of the Book behind the imam intentionally? He said: "If he is acting upon an interpretation (muta'awwilan), his prayer is valid."
900 - Al-Musayyab ibn Wadih narrated to us, saying: I said to Abu Ishaq al-Fazari: What do you say regarding recitation behind the imam? He replied: "I have not recited behind the imam for forty years."
901 - Yahya ibn 'Abd al-Hamid narrated to us, saying: Ishaq ibn Sulayman narrated to us, from Mu'awiyah ibn Yahya, from Yunus ibn Maysarah, from Abu Idris al-Khawlani, who said: A man asked Abu al-Darda': Should I recite while the imam is reciting? He replied: A man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, is there a recitation in every prayer?" The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Yes." A man said: "This makes it obligatory (wajaba)." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) then said: "I do not see that the imam, when he recites, is not sufficient [for those behind him]."
