Chapter 47.0

What is incumbent upon the Imam

باب مَا يَجِبُ عَلَى الإِمَامِ

3 hadiths

Chain of narration · Isnād

Each narrator name opens their biography and classical source evidence.

4 transmitters

Narrated by Abu Bakr bin Abi ShaybafromSa'id bin Sulaiman al-DabifromAbu Hazim, Salma bin DinarfromSahl bin Sa'd bin Malik

Hadith text · Matn

‏ الإِمَامُ ضَامِنٌ، فَإِنْ أَحْسَنَ، فَلَهُ وَلَهُمْ، وَإِنْ أَسَاءَ - يَعْنِي - فَعَلَيْهِ وَلاَ عَلَيْهِمْ ‏

‏ ‏.‏

English translation

Abu Hazim said:

“Sahl bin Sa’d As-Sa’idi used to give preference to the young to lead his people in prayer. It was said to him: “Do you do that, when you have such seniority (in Islam)?” He said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘The Imam is responsible. If he does well, then he will have the reward and so will they, but if he does badly, then that will be counted against him but not against them.’”

Original Arabic chain wording

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْحَمِيدِ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، أَخُو فُلَيْحٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو حَازِمٍ، قَالَ كَانَ سَهْلُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيُّ يُقَدِّمُ فِتْيَانَ قَوْمِهِ يُصَلُّونَ بِهِمْ فَقِيلَ لَهُ تَفْعَلُ وَلَكَ مِنَ الْقِدَمِ مَا لَكَ قَالَ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ ‏

Sunan Ibn Majah, 982da’if

Chain of narration · Isnād

Each narrator name opens their biography and classical source evidence.

2 transmitters

Narrated by Abu Bakr bin Abi ShaybafromWaki' bin al-Jarrah

Hadith text · Matn

‏ يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ يَقُومُونَ سَاعَةً، لاَ يَجِدُونَ إِمَامًا يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ ‏

‏ ‏.‏

English translation

It was narrated that Salamah bint Hurr, the sister of Kharashah, said:

“I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say: ‘A time will come when the people will stand for a long time and will not be able to find any Imam to lead them in prayer.”

Original Arabic chain wording

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ أُمِّ غُرَابٍ، عَنِ امْرَأَةٍ، يُقَالُ لَهَا عَقِيلَةُ عَنْ سَلاَمَةَ بِنْتِ الْحُرِّ، أُخْتِ خَرَشَةَ قَالَتْ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ ‏

Sunan Ibn Majah, 983sahih

Chain of narration · Isnād

Each narrator name opens their biography and classical source evidence.

2 transmitters

Narrated by 'Abdul 'Aziz bin Abi Hazimfrom'Abdur Rahman bin Harmala

Hadith text · Matn

‏ مَنْ أَمَّ النَّاسَ فَأَصَابَ، فَالصَّلاَةُ لَهُ وَلَهُمْ، وَمَنِ انْتَقَصَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ شَيْئًا فَعَلَيْهِ، وَلاَ عَلَيْهِمْ ‏

‏ ‏.‏

English translation

It was narrated from Abu ‘Ali Al-Hamdani that he went out in a ship in which ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir Al-Juhani was present. The time for prayer came, and we told him to lead us in prayer and said to him:

“You are the most deserving of that, you were the Companion of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).” But he refused and said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘Whoever leads the people and gets it right, the prayer will be for him and for them, but if he falls short, then that will be counted against him but not against them.”

Original Arabic chain wording

حَدَّثَنَا مُحْرِزُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ الْعَدَنِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ حَرْمَلَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي عَلِيٍّ الْهَمْدَانِيِّ، أَنَّهُ خَرَجَ فِي سَفِينَةٍ فِيهَا عُقْبَةُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ الْجُهَنِيُّ فَحَانَتْ صَلاَةٌ مِنَ الصَّلَوَاتِ فَأَمَرْنَاهُ أَنْ يَؤُمَّنَا وَقُلْنَا لَهُ إِنَّكَ أَحَقُّنَا بِذَلِكَ أَنْتَ صَاحِبُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَأَبَى فَقَالَ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ ‏