Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
When praying behind the Imam, does one say the Ta’awwuz and Basmallah after reading Thana? Is it permissible to do so? Does one recite Basmallah after al-Fatiha when praying behind the Imam? Is it permissible to do so? Does one recite Basmallah before reciting Thana? Is it permissible to do so? When following the Imam and beginning the second, third, or fourth rak’ah, does one recite the Basmallah before the Imam recites al-Fatiha? Is it permissible to do so?
Behind the Imam, one only recites the opening invocation (thana’), and then remains silent. There is no need to seek refuge (ta`wwuz) because it is for recitation, and the follower DOES NOT RECITE behind the imam, whether it is a loud or quiet prayer. It is prohibitively disliked to recite [i.e. the Qur’an while standing] behind the Imam, in any rak`a of any prayer. Note, however, that one still does all the invocations of the prayer.
Wassalam,
Faraz.