The Office of Imam - Section 1

Abu Mas'ud reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The one of you who is most versed in God’s Book should act as <i>imam</i> for the people; but if they are equally versed in reciting it, then the one who has most knowledge regarding the <i>sunna</i>; if they are equal regarding the <i>sunna</i>, then the earliest of them to emigrate; if they emigrated at the same time, then the oldest of them. No man must lead another in prayer where the latter has authority, or sit in his place of honour in his house, without his permission.” Muslim transmitted it. A version by him has, “And a man must not act as <i>imam</i> for another in his own family.”

عَن أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يَؤُمُّ الْقَوْمَ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ سَوَاءً فَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِالسُّنَّةِ فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي السُّنَّةِ سَوَاءً فَأَقْدَمُهُمْ هِجْرَةً فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْهِجْرَةِ سَوَاءً فَأَقْدَمُهُمْ سِنًّا وَلَا يَؤُمَّنَّ الرَّجُلُ الرَّجُلَ فِي سُلْطَانِهِ وَلَا يَقْعُدْ فِي بَيْتِهِ عَلَى تَكْرِمَتِهِ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ» . رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ. وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ لَهُ: «وَلَا يَؤُمَّنَّ الرجل الرجل فِي أَهله»

Abu Sa'id reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When there are three people one of them should lead them. The one among them most worthy to act as <i>imam</i> is the one who is most versed in the Qur’an.” Muslim transmitted it. The tradition of Malik b. al-Huwairith has been mentioned in a chapter following that on the excellence of the <i>adhan</i> (Ch. 7a).

وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا كَانُوا ثَلَاثَةً فليؤمهم أحدهم وأحقهم بِالْإِمَامِ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ» . رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ وَذَكَرَ حَدِيثَ مَالِكِ بْنِ الْحُوَيْرِثِ فِي بَابٍ بَعْدَ بَابِ «فَضْلِ الْأَذَانِ»

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Let the best among you call the <i>adhan</i> for you, and the Qur’an readers act as your <i>imams</i>.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لِيُؤَذِّنْ لَكُمْ خِيَارُكُمْ وليؤمكم قراؤكم» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Abu ‘Atiya al-'Uqaili said:

Malik b. al-Huwairith used to come to our place of prayer and tell us traditions, and one day when the time for prayer came we told him to go forward and lead the prayer, but he said to us: Put one of your own men forward to lead you in prayer, and I shall tell you why I am unwilling to do so. I heard God’s Messenger say, "If anyone visits people he must not act as their <i>imam</i>, but one of their men must do so.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, but Nasa’i gave only the Prophet's words.

وَعَنْ أَبِي عَطِيَّةَ الْعُقَيْلِيِّ قَالَ: كَانَ مَالِكُ بن الْحُوَيْرِث يَأْتِينَا إِلَى مُصَلَّانَا يَتَحَدَّثُ فَحَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ يَوْمًا قَالَ أَبُو عَطِيَّةَ: فَقُلْنَا لَهُ: تَقَدَّمَ فَصْلُهُ. قَالَ لَنَا قَدِّمُوا رَجُلًا مِنْكُمْ يُصَلِّي بِكُمْ وَسَأُحَدِّثُكُمْ لِمَ لَا أُصَلِّي بِكُمْ؟ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ زار قوما فَلَا يؤمهم وليؤمهم رجل مِنْهُم» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ اقْتَصَرَ عَلَى لَفْظِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم

Anas said that God’s Messenger appointed Ibn Umm Maktum as substitute to lead the people in prayer, and he was blind. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: اسْتَخْلَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ابْنَ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ يَؤُمُّ النَّاس وَهُوَ أعمى. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Abu Umama reported God’s Messenger as saying, "There are three people whose prayer does not pass beyond earshot:

a runaway slave till he returns, a woman with whom her husband is displeased throughout the night, and an <i>imam</i> whose people do not like him.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and said this is a <i>gharib</i> tradition.

وَعَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

ثَلَاثَةٌ لَا تُجَاوِزُ صَلَاتُهُمْ آذَانَهُمْ: الْعَبْدُ الْآبِقُ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ وَامْرَأَةٌ بَاتَتْ وَزَوْجُهَا عَلَيْهَا سَاخِطٌ وَإِمَامُ قَوْمٍ وَهُمْ لَهُ كَارِهُونَ

. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, "There are three people whose prayer is not accepted:

one who goes in front of people when they do not like him, a man who comes to prayer <i>dibar</i>an, which means that he comes to it too late, and a man who takes into slavery an emancipated female slave.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

ثَلَاثَةٌ لَا تُقْبَلُ مِنْهُمْ صَلَاتُهُمْ: مَنْ تَقَدَّمَ قَوْمًا وَهُمْ لَهُ كَارِهُونَ وَرَجُلٌ أَتَى الصَّلَاةَ دِبَارًا وَالدِّبَارُ: أَنْ يَأْتِيَهَا بَعْدَ أَنْ تَفُوتَهُ وَرَجُلٌ اعْتَبَدَ مُحَرَّرَةً

. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَابْن مَاجَه

Sulama daughter of al-Hurr reported God’s Messenger as saying, "One of the signs of the last hour will be that people in a mosque will refuse to act as <i>imam</i> and will not find an <i>imam</i> to lead them in prayer.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَن سَلامَة بنت الْحر قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ يَتَدَافَعَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ لَا يَجِدُونَ إِمَامًا يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمد وَأَبُو دَاوُد وَابْن مَاجَه

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “<i>Jihad</i> is a necessary duty for you along with any commander, pious or impious, even if he commits heinous sins; prayer is a necessary duty for you behind any Muslim, pious or impious, even if he commits heinous sins; and prayer is a necessary duty for every Muslim, pious or impious, even if he commits heinous sins.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «الْجِهَادُ وَاجِبٌ عَلَيْكُمْ مَعَ كُلِّ أَمِيرٍ بَرًّا كَانَ أَوْ فَاجِرًا وَإِنْ عَمِلَ الْكَبَائِرَ. وَالصَّلَاةٌ وَاجِبَةٌ عَلَيْكُمْ خَلْفَ كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ بَرًّا كَانَ أَوْ فَاجِرًا وَإِنْ عَمِلَ الْكَبَائِرَ. وَالصَّلَاةٌ وَاجِبَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ بَرًّا كَانَ أَوْ فَاجِرًا وَإِنْ عَمِلَ الْكَبَائِرَ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

‘Amr b. Salima said:

We lived by water which people passed. Riders would pass by us and we would ask them, "What has happened to the people? What has happened to the people? What is this man like?” and they would reply, "He asserts that God has sent him, has made a revelation to him, has made a revelation to him to this effect.”I was remembering those words with the result that they seemed to be glued in my breast. By their acceptance of Islam the Arabs were expecting victory for they would say ‘Let him and his people alone, for if be gets the better of them, he is a true prophet.’ Then when the battle of the conquest of Mecca took place every tribe hastened to accept Islam, and my father was the first of my tribe to accept it. When he returned he said: I swear by God that I have come to you from him who is truly the Prophet. He said, “Pray such and such a prayer at such and such a time, and such and such a prayer at such and such a time. When the time of prayer comes one of you should call the >i>adhan</i> and the one of you who knows most of the Qur’an should act as your <i>imam</i>” So they considered, and there was no one who knew more of the Our’an than I did because of what I had received from the riders. They therefore put me forward in front of them, and I was only six or seven years old. I wore a mantle which, when I prostrated myself, went up on me, and a woman of the clan said, “Why do you not cover the backside of your reader from us?” So they bought and cut out a shirt for me, and I have never been so pleased about anything as I was about that shirt. Bukhari transmitted it.

عَن عَمْرو بن سَلمَة قَالَ: كُنَّا بِمَاء ممر النَّاس وَكَانَ يَمُرُّ بِنَا الرُّكْبَانُ نَسْأَلُهُمْ مَا لِلنَّاسِ مَا لِلنَّاسِ؟ مَا هَذَا الرَّجُلُ فَيَقُولُونَ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ الله أرْسلهُ أوحى إِلَيْهِ أَو أوحى الله كَذَا. فَكُنْتُ أَحْفَظُ ذَلِكَ الْكَلَامَ فَكَأَنَّمَا يُغْرَى فِي صَدْرِي وَكَانَتِ الْعَرَبُ تَلَوَّمُ بِإِسْلَامِهِمُ الْفَتْحَ فَيَقُولُونَ اتْرُكُوهُ وَقَوْمَهُ فَإِنَّهُ إِنْ ظَهَرَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَهُوَ نَبِيٌّ صَادِقٌ فَلَمَّا كَانَتْ وَقْعَةُ الْفَتْحِ بَادَرَ كُلُّ قَوْمٍ بِإِسْلَامِهِمْ وَبَدَرَ أَبِي قَوْمِي بِإِسْلَامِهِمْ فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ قَالَ جِئْتُكُمْ وَاللَّهِ مِنْ عِنْدِ النَّبِيِّ حَقًّا فَقَالَ: «صَلُّوا صَلَاةَ كَذَا فِي حِين كَذَا وصلوا صَلَاة كَذَا فِي حِينِ كَذَا فَإِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فليؤذن أحدكُم وليؤمكم أَكْثَرُكُمْ قُرْآنًا» فَنَظَرُوا فَلَمْ يَكُنْ أَحَدٌ أَكْثَرَ قُرْآنًا مِنِّي لَمَّا كُنْتُ أَتَلَقَّى مِنَ الرُّكْبَانِ فَقَدَّمُونِي بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَنَا ابْنُ سِتِّ أَوْ سَبْعِ سِنِينَ وَكَانَتْ عَلَيَّ بُرْدَةٌ كُنْتُ إِذَا سَجَدْتُ تَقَلَّصَتْ عَنِّي فَقَالَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْحَيِّ أَلَا تُغَطُّونَ عَنَّا اسْتَ قَارِئِكُمْ فَاشْتَرَوْا فَقَطَعُوا لِي قَمِيصًا فَمَا فَرِحْتُ بِشَيْءٍ فَرَحِي بِذَلِكَ الْقَمِيص. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Ibn ‘Umar said:

When the first Emigrants came to Medina, Salim the client of Abu Hudhaifa acted as their <i>imam</i>, and ‘Umar and Abu Salama b. ‘Abd al-Asad were among their number. Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: لَمَّا قَدِمَ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ الْمَدِينَةَ كَانَ يَؤُمُّهُمْ سَالِمٌ مَوْلَى أَبِي حُذَيْفَةَ وَفِيهِمْ عُمَرُ وَأَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْأسد. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “There are three whose prayer is not raised a span above their heads:

a man who acts as <i>imam</i> for people when they do not like him, a woman with whom her husband is displeased throughout the night, and two brothers* who are disunited.” * The word here is most probably used in the widest sense, meaning two Muslims. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

ثَلَاثَةٌ لَا تُرْفَعُ لَهُم صلَاتهم فَوق رؤوسهم شِبْرًا: رَجُلٌ أَمَّ قَوْمًا وَهُمْ لَهُ كَارِهُونَ وَامْرَأَةٌ بَاتَتْ وَزَوْجُهَا عَلَيْهَا سَاخِطٌ وَأَخَوَانِ مُتَصَارِمَانِ

. رَوَاهُ ابْن مَاجَه