Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 4166 — Those who disliked leading the prayer

Ibn Awn said: I was with Ibn Sirin at a funeral. When we had finished with the funeral, the time for prayer came. When the iqamah for the prayer was called, it was said to Ibn Sirin, "Step forward!" He said, "Let one of you step forward, and let only someone who has read the Qur'an step forward." Then he said to me, "Step forward." So I stepped forward and led the people in prayer. When I had finished leading the prayer, I said to myself: What have I done? The very thing Ibn Sirin disliked for himself, I went and did, and I stepped forward ahead of him! So I said to Ibn Sirin, "May Allah Almighty have mercy on you; you ordered me to do something that you disliked for yourself?" He said, "I dislike that a passer-by should pass and say: This is Ibn Sirin leading the prayer!"