Abu Dawud

Benefits and Issues:
If the imam is without ablution (wudu) or in a state of major ritual impurity (junub), or if there is impurity on his clothes, and he leads the prayer in this state, then the prayer of the followers (muqtadis) is completely valid and correct. However, it is necessary for the imam to repeat his prayer, as:

Evidence
Abu Ali al-Hamdani rahimahullah says: I set out on a journey, and with us was Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir radi Allahu anhu. We said to him: May Allah have mercy on you! You are among the companions of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, so please lead us in prayer. Upon this, he radi Allahu anhu said: No, I heard the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam say:

«من امّ النّاس، فاصاب الوقت و اتم الصّلاة فله ولهم، ومن انتقص من ذلك شيا فعليه ولا عليهم۔»

“Whoever leads people in prayer, catches the time, and performs a complete prayer, then it will suffice for him and for them. And whoever falls short in it, the burden will be upon him, while it will suffice for the followers.” [مسند الامام احمد : 201، 156، 154، 145/4 سنن ابي داود : 580، سنن ابن ماجه : 983، وسنده حسن]

↰ This hadith has been declared “sahih” by Imam Ibn Khuzaymah rahimahullah [1513], Imam Ibn rahimahullah [2221], and Imam Hakim rahimahullah [213، 210/1].
↰ Abdur Rahman bin Harmalah has explicitly stated hearing this narration from Abu Ali al-Hamdani. [سنن الکبرٰی للبیھقی : 147/3]
↰ Also, Abdur Rahman bin Harmalah al-Madani is considered “hasan al-hadith” by the majority of hadith scholars.

Those Who Authenticate:
➊ Imam Yahya bin Ma’in rahimahullah says:
«ثقة، روي عند يحييٰ القطان نحو منة حديث»
“These are trustworthy narrators; Yahya al-Qattan narrated about a hundred hadiths from them.” [الكامل لابن عدي : 310/4 وسنده صحيح]
➋ Imam Nasa’i rahimahullah says: «لا باس به» “There is nothing wrong with him.”
➌ Imam Numayr said “thiqah (trustworthy).” [تهذهب التهذيب لابن حجر : 147/6]
➍ Imam Saji says: «صدوق، يهم فى الحديث» “He is truthful, but sometimes makes mistakes in hadith.” [تهذهب التهذيب 147/6]
➎ Imam Ibn ‘Adi rahimahullah says:
«ولم ار فى حديثه منكرا۔» “I have not found any munkar (denounced) hadith in his narrations.” [الكامل لابن عدي311/4]
➏ Imam Ibn Hibban rahimahullah mentioned him in «اثقات» and said: «كان يخطيء» “He used to make mistakes.”
↰ The statement of the Imam is not to be considered in opposition to the majority’s authentication. Imam Ibn Hibban rahimahullah himself later authenticated his hadith, indicating his retraction.
➐ Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahimahullah, when asked about Yazid bin Abdullah bin Qasit being “thiqah” and about Ibn Harmalah, said: «ما اقربهما۔» “Both are very close (in reliability).”
➑ Imam Muslim rahimahullah narrated from him as supporting narration (mutaba‘atan).
➒ ➓ Imam Ibn Khuzaymah rahimahullah [1513] and Imam Hakim rahimahullah [210/1] both authenticated his hadith. This is an additional “authentication.”
«تلك عشرة كاملة !» “These are a full ten authentications.”

Those Who Criticize:
➊ Regarding Imam Yahya bin Sa‘id al-Qattan rahimahullah:
«فضعفه، ولم يدفعه» “He declared him weak, but did not abandon him completely.” [الجرح و التعديل لابن ابي حاتم : 223/5]
First: This statement is not to be considered due to its opposition to the majority.
Second: What is meant is that he is not of the highest level of trustworthiness. The evidence for this is:
◈ Imam Yahya bin Sa‘id al-Qattan himself says:
«محمدبن عمرو احب الّي من ابن حرملة»
“Muhammad bin ‘Amr bin ‘Alqamah is more beloved to me than Ibn Harmalah.” [الجرح والتعديل 223/5، وسنده صحيح]
Muhammad bin ‘Amr bin ‘Alqamah is considered “thiqah” by Imam Yahya bin Sa‘id al-Qattan.
◈ The second evidence is that Imam ‘Ali bin al-Madini rahimahullah says:
«فراددتّ يحييٰ فى ابن حرملة، فقال : ليس هو عندي مثل يحييٰ بن سعيد الانصاريّ۔»
“I asked Yahya al-Qattan about Ibn Harmalah, and he said: In my view, he is not like Yahya bin Sa‘id al-Ansari (a great imam).” [الجرح والتعديل لابن ابي حاتم : 223/5]
Third: This statement does not negate the narrator’s uprightness (‘adalah), because Imam Yahya bin Sa‘id al-Qattan himself narrates from him. Therefore, we will interpret this statement as referring to weakness in memory.
Fourth: It is also possible that this statement was later abrogated by Imam Yahya bin Sa‘id al-Qattan, and other statements supersede it.
Fifth: Imam Yahya bin Sa‘id al-Qattan was extremely strict in the criticism of narrators, as Hafiz Dhahabi rahimahullah writes:
«كان يحييٰ بن سعيد متعنتا فى نقد الرجال، فاذا رايته قد و ثق شيخا، فاعتمد عليه، اما اذا لين احدا فتانّ فى امره حتّي فري قول غيره فيه، فقد لين مثل اسرايل و همام و جماعة احتج بهم الشيخان….»
“Imam Yahya bin Sa‘id was very strict in the criticism of narrators. When you see that he has called a shaykh ‘thiqah’, then rely upon him. But when he declares someone weak, then reflect and consider the statements of other hadith scholars about him, because he has declared even Isra’il, Hammam, and many narrators weak, from whom Bukhari and Muslim have taken as proof.” [سير اعلام النبلا : 558/9]
➋ Imam Abu Hatim al-Razi rahimahullah says:
«يكتب حديثه، ولا يحتج به۔»
“His hadith will be written, but sometimes there is confusion (idtirab) in his hadith.” [الجرح : 240/5]
Confusion in a narrator’s hadith is not a cause of weakness. Moreover, the majority have authenticated the narration of Abdur Rahman bin Harmalah, proving that it is not confused. Also, it is the habit of Imam Abu Hatim al-Razi to use such expressions even for narrators considered trustworthy by Bukhari and Muslim. [ديكهيں سيراعلام النبلاءللذهبي : 240/5]
➌ Hafiz Mundhiri rahimahullah has written: «لينه البخاري۔» “Imam Bukhari rahimahullah declared him weak.” [الترغيب والترهيب للمنذري]
Imam Bukhari’s statement is not about Abdur Rahman bin Harmalah al-Aslami, but about Abdur Rahman bin Harmalah, the uncle of Qasim bin Hassan. Therefore, this criticism is ineffective, as Hafiz Dhahabi rahimahullah has mentioned him in his book «تكلم فيه و هو موثق او صالح الحديث».
◈ Imam Ibn Khuzaymah rahimahullah (d. 311 AH) titles a chapter with this hadith.
«والدّليل على انّ صلاة الامام قد تكون ناقصة وصلاة الماموم تامه، ضدقول من زعم انّ صلاة الماموم متّصلة بصلاة امامه، اذا فسدت صلاة الامام فسدت صلاة الماموم»
↰ This hadith is evidence that sometimes the imam’s prayer is deficient while the follower’s is complete. (This hadith) is against the one who claims that the follower’s prayer is connected to the imam’s prayer, and if the imam’s prayer is invalid, then the follower’s prayer is also invalid… [صحيح ابن خزيمة : 1513]

580. Commentary:
The responsibility of the imam is extremely important; he should become the leader (guide) of the people while being a follower of Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, not someone who merely follows the desires of the people. This is only possible when he is a person of knowledge and insight, and fears only Allah. He should be filled with sincerity for Allah and possess the zeal of a caller (da‘i). In other words, the imam should also possess determination and fulfill his responsibility in the correct manner.

Benefit:
This contains a description of the caution and piety (wara‘ and taqwa) of the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in).
They would hesitate to take on religious responsibilities out of fear of falling short.