The Imam's duty - Section 1

Anas said:

I never prayed behind an <i>imam</i>, who was more brief or more perfect in his prayer than the Prophet. If he heard a boy crying he would shorten the prayer for fear his mother might be distressed. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: مَا صَلَّيْتُ وَرَاءَ إِمَامٍ قَطُّ أَخَفَّ صَلَاةً وَلَا أَتَمَّ صَلَاةً مِنَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَإِنْ كَانَ لَيَسْمَعُ بُكَاءَ الصَّبِيِّ فَيُخَفِّفُ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ تُفْتَنَ أمه

Abu Qatada reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When I begin the prayer. I intend to make it long, but I hear a boy crying and shorten my prayer, being aware of his mother’s emotion because of his crying.” Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنِّي لَأَدْخُلُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ وَأَنَا أُرِيدُ إِطَالَتَهَا فَأَسْمَعُ بُكَاءَ الصَّبِيِّ فَأَتَجَوَّزُ فِي صَلَاتِي مِمَّا أَعْلَمُ مِنْ شِدَّةِ وجد أمه من بكائه» . رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you leads the people in prayer he should be brief, for among them are the sick, the weak, and the aged. But when one of you prays by himself he may be as long as he likes.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «إِذا صلى أحدكُم النَّاس فَلْيُخَفِّفْ فَإِنَّ فِيهِمُ السَّقِيمَ وَالضَّعِيفَ وَالْكَبِيرَ. وَإِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ لِنَفْسِهِ فَلْيُطَوِّلْ مَا شَاءَ»

Qais b. Abu Hazim said Abu Mas'ud told him of a man saying, “I swear by God, Messenger of God, that I keep away from the Morning Prayer on account of so and so, because he keeps us so long.” I never saw God’s Messenger more angry when giving an exhortation than he was that day. He said, “Some of you are scaring people away, so whoever of you leads the people in prayer must be brief, for among them are the weak, the aged, and people who have business to do.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ أَبِي حَازِمٍ قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو مَسْعُودٍ أَنَّ رَجُلًا قَالَ: وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَتَأَخَّرُ عَنْ صَلَاةِ الْغَدَاةِ مِنْ أَجْلِ فُلَانٍ مِمَّا يُطِيلُ بِنَا فَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي مَوْعِظَةٍ أَشَدَّ غَضَبًا مِنْهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ:

إِنَّ مِنْكُمْ مُنَفِّرِينَ فَأَيُّكُمْ مَا صَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ فَلْيَتَجَوَّزْ: فَإِنَّ فِيهِمُ الضَّعِيفَ وَالْكَبِير وَذَا الْحَاجة

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “They lead you in prayer, and if they do it properly you will reap a reward, but if they make mistakes you will reap a reward and they will be held responsible. Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يُصَلُّونَ لَكُمْ فَإِنْ أَصَابُوا فَلَكُمْ وَإِنْ أَخْطَئُوا فَلَكُمْ وَعَلَيْهِمْ» . رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ

‘Uthman b. Abul ‘As said that the last command God’s messenger gave him was, “When you act as imam for people, make the prayer short." Muslim transmitted it. In a version by him it says that God's messenger said to him, “Act as imam for your people” to which he said he replied, “Messenger of God, I find a defect in myself.” Telling him to come near and making him sit down in front of him, he placed his hand on his breast between his nipples; then telling him to turn round, he placed it on his back between his shoulders. He then said, “Act as imam for your people. Whoever acts as imam for people must be brief, for among them are the aged, among them are the sick, among them are the weak, and among them are people who have busi­ness to do. But when any of you prays alone he may pray as he likes.”

عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَاصِ قَالَ: آخِرُ مَا عَهِدَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا أَمَمْتَ قَوْمًا فَأَخِفَّ بِهِمُ الصَّلَاةَ» . رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ لَهُ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَهُ: «أُمَّ قَوْمَكَ» . قَالَ: قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَجِدُ فِي نَفْسِي شَيْئًا. قَالَ: «ادْنُهْ» . فَأَجْلَسَنِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ كَفَّهُ فِي صَدْرِي بَيْنَ ثَدْيَيَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «تَحَوَّلْ» . فَوَضَعَهَا فِي ظَهْرِي بَيْنَ كَتِفَيَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أُمَّ قَوْمَكَ فَمَنْ أَمَّ قَوْمًا فَلْيُخَفِّفْ فَإِنَّ فيهم الْكَبِير وَإِن فيهم الْمَرِيض وَإِن فيهم الضَّعِيف وَإِن فهيم ذاالحاجة فَإِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ وَحْدَهُ فَلْيُصَلِّ كَيْفَ شَاءَ»

Ibn ‘Umar said:

God's Messenger used to command us to be brief, and he would recite <i>as-Saffat</i> (Al-Qur’an; 37) when he was our <i>imam</i>. Nasa’i transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَأْمُرُنَا بِالتَّخْفِيفِ وَيَؤُمُّنَا ب (الصافات) رَوَاهُ النَّسَائِيّ