Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Abu Mas’ud Ansari narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: The one who is the most proficient reciter of the Book of Allah should lead the prayer. If they are equal in recitation, then the one who has the most knowledge of the Sunnah should lead. If they are equal in knowledge of the Sunnah, then the one who emigrated earlier should lead. If they are equal in emigration, then the one who accepted Islam earlier should lead. No man should lead another in his domain, and no man should sit on another’s cushion in his room without his permission.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Saeed that the Messenger of Allah, 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 is the most deserving of leading the prayer.

Hazrat Marrah bin Shurahbeel says that I was in a room in which Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), Hazrat Hudhaifah (may Allah be pleased with him), and Hazrat Abu Musa Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) were also present. Meanwhile, the time for prayer arrived. Each one said to the other, “You go ahead (to lead).” Hazrat Abdullah was between Hazrat Abu Musa and Hazrat Hudhaifah (may Allah be pleased with them). Both of them took hold of him and put him forward. I asked, “What is the reason for his precedence?” They replied, “He participated in the Battle of Badr.”

Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that Hazrat Abu Musa used to lead the Muhajireen and Ansar in prayer at the mosque of Quba.

Hazrat Amr bin Salamah says: When our people returned from the presence of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), they said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us that the one among you who recites the Qur'an the most should lead you in prayer. So they called me and taught me bowing and prostration. I used to lead them in prayer, and I had a torn sheet over me. They used to say to my father: Can you not cover your son's buttocks?

Hazrat Amr bin Salamah narrates that we used to live near a watering place. Because of this, caravans would stop by us, and among them were some caravans returning from the presence of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. I would go to them and listen to their conversations, until I had memorized a large portion of the Holy Qur'an. People were waiting for the conquest of Makkah to accept Islam. When Makkah was conquered, people began to come to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, one by one and say, "O Messenger of Allah! We are representatives from such-and-such tribe and have come to inform you of their acceptance of Islam." My father also went to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to inform him of his tribe's acceptance of Islam. When he was about to return, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him, "Appoint as your leader in prayer the one among you who knows the most Qur'an." They considered this, and at that time I was in a large room by the water. They did not find anyone who recited the Qur'an better than me, so they appointed me to lead the prayer. I was a young boy, and I used to lead them in prayer.

Hazrat Abu Salamah bin Abdur Rahman narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: When three Muslims are on a journey, the one among them who is the best reciter of the Holy Qur'an will lead them in prayer, even if he is the youngest. And when he leads them in prayer, he will be their leader. This is the leader whom the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, has appointed as the leader.

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.

Hazrat Ibn Sirin says that the one who knows the Qur'an the most will lead the people in prayer.

Hazrat Ata says that the person with the greatest understanding of religion will lead the people in prayer.

Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that when the Muhajireen returned from Makkah, they camped near Quba. On this occasion, Hazrat Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifah (may Allah be pleased with him), used to lead them in prayer, because he was the most knowledgeable of the Qur'an among them. Among these people were also Hazrat Abu Salamah bin Abd al-Asad and Hazrat Umar bin Khattab.