Ibn Majah

Benefits and Issues:

➊
Our esteemed researcher has declared this narration weak in terms of its chain of transmission.
However, Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah has declared the first part of the hadith—namely, “the prayer of the person who becomes the imam of people while they dislike him is not accepted”—to be authentic.
This sentence of the hadith also appears in the next hadith, which our researcher has graded as hasan. Therefore, this sentence is actionable and a valid proof. For details, see: (Sahih al-Targhib by al-Albani, nos. 486, 483; and Da‘if Sunan Ibn Majah, no. 205)

➋
This warning for the imam applies when the congregation’s displeasure with him is based on a valid Shar‘i reason—for example, if they wish to appoint another person who is more qualified, or they do not wish to appoint him as imam due to his open sinfulness and immorality.
But if they are displeased because the imam forbids them from shirk and innovation, or from wrongdoing, or because he leads the prayer calmly and at its earliest time according to the Sunnah, or for any similar reason, then the imam is not sinful.
The mistake lies with the followers; they should rectify themselves.

➌
The sinfulness of performing the prayer at the last possible time and of kidnapping a free person and enslaving him is established by other authentic ahadith.
However, the narration regarding the prayer not being accepted is not authentic, as Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah has clarified.

➍
A warning has been given for performing the prayer at the last possible time without a valid excuse.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“This is the prayer of the hypocrite: he sits watching the sun until, when it is between the horns of Satan (i.e., about to set), he stands and pecks out four (units of prayer) in which he remembers Allah very little.” (Sahih Muslim, al-Masajid, Chapter: Recommendation to pray ‘Asr early, Hadith: 622)

➎
Kidnapping a free person and enslaving him is also a very grave crime, the severity of which is mentioned in the ahadith.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“Allah, the Exalted, says: There are three persons against whom I will be an opponent on the Day of Resurrection...
...One who sold a free person (as a slave) and consumed his price.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Buyu‘, Chapter: The sin of one who sells a free person, Hadith: 2227)

593. Commentary:
➊ According to Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah, the first part of this hadith is authentic. That is, the prayer of an imam whom his congregation is not pleased with is not accepted, and if the reason for disapproval is truly based on Islamic law, then this warning applies. For example: being forcibly imposed upon this position, performing the prayer at the wrong time or contrary to the Sunnah, or making gross errors (lahn fahish) in recitation, etc. However, if the reasons for displeasure are personal in nature or not actually based on Islamic law, then this warning does not apply. Furthermore, the opinion of religious (pious) individuals and their majority must also be considered. The displeasure of just a few individuals is not valid. Since the imam has to deal with various types of people whose temperaments and tastes differ greatly, he should therefore act with knowledge, forbearance, and wisdom, just as the attribute of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is described in the Noble Qur’an: «وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ» [آل عمران۔ 159]
“If you had been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you.”
➋ The other two matters, although weak in chain of narration, are extremely important. That is, the person who habitually lags behind the congregation or engages in slave trading—these are major sins.