Is it permissible to recite a surah that contains a prostration (sajdah) in the obligatory prayer?

Reciting surahs that contain a prostration verse is permissible in prayer for the imam, the congregant, and the individual praying alone. The individual praying alone recites whenever he wishes, and the congregant only recites in silent prayers. He does not prostrate if he recites a prostration verse because he is commanded to follow the imam. The imam and the individual praying alone prostrate upon reciting the prostration verse, and the congregant follows the imam in prostration. The one prostrating for recitation says 'Allahu Akbar' when descending for prostration and when rising from it.

Scholars have cited the Prophet's action as evidence for the permissibility of reciting the prostration verse, as he used to recite Surah (definition) As-Sajdah and Surah Al-Insan in the Fajr prayer on Fridays. Scholars differed regarding the permissibility of the imam reciting a prostration verse in silent prayers. The Shafi'is do not consider it disliked, while Malik absolutely dislikes it, and Abu Hanifa dislikes it in silent prayers but not in audible ones.

The preponderant view is that the imam should not prostrate in silent prayers to avoid confusion and disagreement among the worshippers, acting upon the saying of Ibn Mas'ud: "Disagreement is evil." As for Malik's view of disliking the prostration verse absolutely in obligatory prayers, it is weak and contradicts established texts.