مصنف ابن ابي شيبه
Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah
كتاب الصلواتBook of Prayers
من قال يؤم القوم أقرؤهم لكتاب اللهThose who say the one who knows most Quran should lead the prayer
Hadith 3495
٣٤٩٥ - حدثنا وكيع عن مسعر (بن) (١) حبيب الجرمي عن عمرو بن سلمة عن أبيه: أنهم وفدوا إلى النبي ﷺ، فلما أرادوا أن ينصرفوا (قال) (٢): قلنا له: يا رسول اللَّه من يصلي بنا؟ قال: "أكثركم جمعًا للقرآن أو أخذًا للقرآن"، فلم يكن فيهم أحد جمع من القرآن ما جمعت قال: فقدموني وأنا غلام فكنت أصلي بهم وعلي شملة، قال: فما شهدت (مجمعا) (٣) من (جرم) (٤) إلا كنت إمامهم (وأصلي) (٥) ⦗٢٥٧⦘ (على) (٦) جنائزهم إلى يومي هذا (٧).
Hazrat Amr bin Salamah narrates from his father that they came to the service of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as a delegation. When they were about to return, we asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Who will lead us in prayer?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "The one among you who knows the most Qur'an should lead you in prayer." Hazrat Amr bin Salamah says that at that time, there was no one in our tribe who had memorized more Qur'an than I had. Therefore, despite my young age, the people put me forward. Thus, I used to lead them in prayer, and I had a single sheet over me. In whichever gathering of the tribe of Jurm I was present, I would lead the prayer, and I am still leading their funeral prayers to this day.
