Which is better for recitation: from the Mus'haf or by heart?

Outside of prayer, reading the Qur’an from the mushaf (physical copy) is preferable for accuracy and memorization, unless reading by heart (from memory) leads to greater devotion and better retention for the heart. As for prayer, it is better to recite by heart, because reading from the mushaf leads to repeated movements and missing out on placing the hands and maintaining distance (from the body), and for this reason, reciting by heart is preferred over reading from the mushaf. Similarly, it is not advisable for the congregants to carry mushafs to follow the Imam, unless the Imam has a weak memory and requests one of them to follow along.