صحيح مسلم
Muslim
كتاب المساجد ومواضع الصلاةThe Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer
باب مَنْ أَحَقُّ بِالإِمَامَةِ:Chapter: Who is more entitled to lead the prayer
Hadith 672
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ ، عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " إِذَا كَانُوا ثَلَاثَةً ، فَلْيَؤُمَّهُمْ أَحَدُهُمْ ، وَأَحَقُّهُمْ بِالإِمَامَةِ ، أَقْرَؤُهُمْ " .
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: When there are three persons, one of them should lead them. The one among them most worthy to act as Imam is one who is best versed in the Qur'an.
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وحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ . ح ، وحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَالِدٍ الأَحْمَرُ ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ . ح ، وحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو غَسَّانَ الْمِسْمَعِيُّ ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذٌ وَهُوَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي كُلُّهُمْ ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ .
A hadith like this has been narrated by Qatida with the same chain of transmitters.
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وحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى ، حَدَّثَنَا سَالِمُ بْنُ نُوحٍ . ح ، وحَدَّثَنَا حَسَنُ بْنُ عِيسَى ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ جَمِيعًا ، عَنِ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ ، عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، بِمِثْلِهِ .
This hadith has been narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri by another chain of transmitters.
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Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary:
Benefits and Issues:
This hadith establishes that the one most deserving of leading the prayer (imamah) is the person who has a special devotion and connection to the Noble Qur’an and recites it abundantly. However, there is a difference of opinion regarding whether “recitation” (qira’ah) here refers merely to memorization of the Qur’an and frequent recitation, or whether it also includes knowledge and understanding of the Qur’an along with memorization. According to Imam Ahmad, mere recitation (qira’ah) is sufficient to give precedence, while according to the rest of the imams, the one who possesses knowledge and understanding of the Qur’an is given precedence. If the reciter (qari) is also a scholar (‘alim), then there is no difference of opinion regarding his precedence.
Benefits and Issues:
This hadith establishes that the one most deserving of leading the prayer (imamah) is the person who has a special devotion and connection to the Noble Qur’an and recites it abundantly. However, there is a difference of opinion regarding whether “recitation” (qira’ah) here refers merely to memorization of the Qur’an and frequent recitation, or whether it also includes knowledge and understanding of the Qur’an along with memorization. According to Imam Ahmad, mere recitation (qira’ah) is sufficient to give precedence, while according to the rest of the imams, the one who possesses knowledge and understanding of the Qur’an is given precedence. If the reciter (qari) is also a scholar (‘alim), then there is no difference of opinion regarding his precedence.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 1529
Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
841. Commentary: For details, see Sunan an-Nasa'i Hadith: 781, 800 and their benefits and issues.
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 841
