الفتح الربانی
Fath al-Rabbani
أبواب صلاة الجماعةChapters on Congregational Prayer
بَابُ مَنْ أَحَقُّ بِالْإِمَامَةِ
Chapter on who is most entitled to lead the prayer
Hadith 2530
عَنْ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ الْبَدْرِيِّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: ((يُؤُمُّ الْقَوْمَ أَقْرَأُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَأَقْدَمُهُمْ قِرَاءَةً فَإِنْ كَانَتْ قِرَاءَتُهُمْ سَوَاءً فَلْيُؤُمَّهُمْ أَقْدَمُهُمْ هِجْرَةً فَإِنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُمْ سَوَاءً فَلْيُؤُمَّهُمْ أَكْبَرُهُمْ سِنًّا وَلَا يُؤُمَّ الرَّجُلُ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَلَا فِي سُلْطَانِهِ وَلَا يُجْلَسْ عَلَى تَكْرِمَتِهِ فِي بَيْتِهِ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ))
It is narrated from Abu Mas’ud Ansari Badri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: The one who should lead the people in prayer is he who has recited more of Allah’s Book; if they are equal in recitation, then the one who is foremost in migration should lead; if they are equal in migration, then the one who is older in age should lead. And in a man’s house and under his authority, do not lead him in prayer, nor sit in his place of honor in his house, except with his permission.
Hadith 2531
((وَعَنْهُ مِنْ طَرِيقٍ ثَانٍ) بِنَحْوِهِ وَفِيهِ) فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ سَوَاءً فَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِالسُّنَّةِ
(Second chain) It has this addition: If they are equal in recitation, then the one who knows more of the Sunnah should lead the prayer.
Hadith 2532
(وَفِيهِ أَيْضًا) وَلَا تَجْلِسْ عَلَى تَكْرِمَتِهِ فِي بَيْتِهِ حَتَّى يَأْذَنَ لَكَ
(And its words are:) And do not sit in his house in his honored place, unless he gives permission.
Hadith 2533
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ((إِذَا كَانُوا ثَلَاثَةً فَلْيُؤُمَّهُمْ أَحَدُهُمْ، وَأَحَقُّهُمْ بِالْإِمَامَةِ أَقْرَأُهُمْ))
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When there are three people, one of them should lead the prayer, and the one who is most proficient in recitation among them is most deserving to lead."
Hadith 2534
عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: ((يُؤُمُّ الْقَوْمَ أَقْرَأُهُمْ لِلْقُرْآنِ))
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The one who recites the Qur'an the most among them will lead the people in prayer.
Hadith 2535
عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَلِمَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: كَانَتْ تَأْتِينَا الرُّكْبَانُ مِنْ قِبَلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَنَسْتَقْرِئُهُمْ فَيُحَدِّثُونَا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: ((لِيُؤُمَّكُمْ أَكْثَرُكُمْ قُرْآنًا))
Sayyiduna Amr bin Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Caravans used to come to us from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), so we would learn from them. They also informed us that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The one who knows more of the Qur'an among you should lead your prayer.
Hadith 2536
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي ثَنَا سُرَيْجٌ وَيُونُسُ قَالَا ثَنَا حَمَّادٌ يَعْنِي ابْنَ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي قِلَابَةَ عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ الْحُوَيْرِثِ اللَّيْثِيِّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَدِمْنَا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَنَحْنُ شَبَبَةٌ، قَالَ: فَأَقَمْنَا عِنْدَهُ نَحْوًا مِنْ عِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً، فَقَالَ لَنَا: ((لَوْ رَجَعْتُمْ إِلَى بِلَادِكُمْ)) وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَحِيمًا ((فَعَلَّمْتُمُوهُمْ))، قَالَ سُرَيْجٌ وَأَمَرْتُمُوهُمْ أَنْ يُصَلُّوا صَلَاةَ كَذَا حِينَ كَذَا قَالَ يُونُسُ وَمُرُوهُمْ فَلْيُصَلُّوا صَلَاةَ كَذَا فِي حِينِ كَذَا وَصَلَاةَ كَذَا فِي حِينِ كَذَا، فَإِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَلْيُؤَذِّنْ لَكُمْ أَحَدُكُمْ وَلْيُؤُمَّكُمْ أَكْبَرُكُمْ
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Malik bin Huwairith, he says: We, a group of young men, came to the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and stayed for about twenty nights. Since the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was compassionate, he said to us: If you return to your cities, teach them and instruct them to perform such-and-such prayers at such-and-such times. When the time for prayer comes, let one of you give the call to prayer (adhan), and let the eldest among you lead the prayer.
Hadith 2537
(وَمِنْ طَرِيقٍ ثَانٍ) عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ أَبِي قِلَابَةَ عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ الْحُوَيْرِثِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَهُ وَلِصَاحِبٍ لَهُ: ((إِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَأَذِّنَا وَأَقِيمَا وَقَالَ مَرَّةً فَأَقِيمَا ثُمَّ لِيُؤُمَّكُمَا أَكْبَرُ كُمَا))، قَالَ خَالِدٌ: فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي قِلَابَةَ: فَأَيْنَ الْقِرَاءَةُ؟ قَالَ: إِنَّهُمَا كَانَا مُتَقَارِبَيْنِ (زَادَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ: ((صَلُّوا كَمَا تَرَوْنِي أُصَلِّي)))
(Second chain of narration) Sayyiduna Malik bin Huwairith (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him and his companion: When the time for prayer comes, then give the adhan, then say the iqamah, and the one who is eldest among you should lead the congregation. Khalid says: I said to Abu Qilabah: Where did the issue of (appointing the imam based on) recitation go? He said: Indeed, both of them (recitation and the rest of knowledge) were nearly equal. In one narration, these words are also present: Pray as you have seen me praying.
Hadith 2538
(وَمِنْ طَرِيقٍ ثَانٍ) عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ أَبِي قِلَابَةَ عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ الْحُوَيْرِثِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَهُ وَلِصَاحِبٍ لَهُ: ((إِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَأَذِّنَا وَأَقِيمَا وَقَالَ مَرَّةً فَأَقِيمَا ثُمَّ لِيُؤُمَّكُمَا أَكْبَرُ كُمَا))، قَالَ خَالِدٌ: فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي قِلَابَةَ: فَأَيْنَ الْقِرَاءَةُ؟ قَالَ: إِنَّهُمَا كَانَا مُتَقَارِبَيْنِ (زَادَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ: ((صَلُّوا كَمَا تَرَوْنِي أُصَلِّي)))
(Second chain of narration) Sayyiduna Malik bin Huwairith (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him and his companion: When the time for prayer comes, then give the adhan, then say the iqamah, and the one who is eldest among you should lead the congregation. Khalid says: I said to Abu Qilabah: Where did the issue of (appointing the imam based on) recitation go? He said: Indeed, both of them (recitation and the rest of knowledge) were nearly equal. In one narration, these words are also present: Pray as you have seen me praying.
Hadith 2539
عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ أَتَى أَبَا مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيَّ فِي مَنْزِلِهِ فَحَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ، فَقَالَ أَبُو مُوسَى: تَقَدَّمْ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ! فَإِنَّكَ أَقْدَمُ سِنًّا وَأَعْلَمُ، قَالَ: لَا، بَلْ تَقَدَّمْ أَنْتَ فَإِنَّمَا أَتَيْنَاكَ فِي مَنْزِلِكَ وَمَسْجِدِكَ فَأَنْتَ أَحَقُّ، قَالَ: فَتَقَدَّمَ أَبُو مُوسَى فَخَلَعَ نَعْلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ قَالَ: مَا أَرَدْتَّ إِلَى خَلْعِهِمَا؟ أَبِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ أَنْتَ؟ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي فِي الْخُفَّيْنِ وَالنَّعْلَيْنِ
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I went to Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) at his house. Meanwhile, the time for prayer arrived. He said to me: Abu Abdur Rahman! Step forward (and lead the prayer) because you are older and more knowledgeable. But I said: No, rather you should step forward, because we have come to you, to your house, and to your mosque, so you are more deserving. Thus, Sayyiduna Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) stepped forward and he took off his shoes. When he finished the prayer with salam, I said: Why did you take off your shoes? Are you in the sacred valley? I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) praying while wearing socks and shoes.
Hadith 2540
عَنْ بُدَيْلِ بْنِ مَيْسَرَةَ الْعُقَيْلِيِّ عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ يُكْنَى أَبَا عَطِيَّةَ قَالَ: كَانَ مَالِكُ بْنُ الْحُوَيْرِثِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ يَأْتِينَا فِي مُصَلَّانَا يَتَحَدَّثُ، قَالَ: فَحَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ يَوْمًا فَقُلْنَا: تَقَدَّمْ، فَقَالَ: لَا، لِيَتَقَدَّمْ بَعْضُكُمْ حَتَّى أُحَدِّثَكُمْ لِمَ لَا أَتَقَدَّمُ، سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: ((إِنَّ مَنْ زَارَ قَوْمًا فَلَا يُؤُمَّهُمْ، وَلْيُؤُمَّهُمْ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ))
Abu Atiyyah says: Sayyiduna Malik bin Huwairith (may Allah be pleased with him) used to come to us at our place of prayer and would talk with us. One day, the time for prayer arrived, and we said to him: "Step forward and lead (the prayer)." But he said: "No, let one of your own people step forward." I will explain to you why I am not stepping forward. I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "When a man comes to visit others, he should not lead them in prayer; rather, one of their own people should lead the congregation."
