s on the imam's prayer and the qualities of imams -- Chapter: The imam's duty to keep the prayer light

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I have not prayed behind any imam a prayer that was lighter and more complete than the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).

Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray the prayer brief and complete.

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to keep the prayer brief and complete.

Qatadah narrates from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) led the briefest and most complete prayer of all people.

Sayyiduna Abu Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah! I stay behind from the morning prayer because so-and-so makes the prayer long for us." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Among you there are those who drive people away. Whoever leads people in prayer should make it light, for the sick, the old and the needy are present."

Sayyiduna Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) says that a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah! I can hardly catch the congregational prayer, because so-and-so makes the prayer long." I have not seen the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in any sermon as angry as he (peace and blessings be upon him) was that day. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O people! Some of you drive people away, so whoever leads people in prayer should make it light, for among them are the sick, the weak and those with needs."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one of you leads people in congregation, he should make it light, for among them are the weak, the old and the needy."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one of you leads people in prayer, he should make it light, for among people there are also the weak, the sick and the needy."

Sayyiduna Uthman bin Abi al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you lead a people in prayer, make it light."

Sayyiduna Uthman bin Abi al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the last instruction the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave me was this: "When you lead a people in prayer, lead them in a light prayer."

Abu Khalid, the father of Isma'il bin Khalid, says: I came to Madinah and stayed with Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him); there was kinship between him and my patrons. He used to lead the people in prayer and keep the prayer short. I asked: "O Abu Hurayrah! Was the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) like this?" He said: "Yes, and even shorter than this."

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) says that a man came with his two water-carrying camels when part of the night had passed. Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) was leading the Maghrib prayer. He left his camels and turned towards Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) to pray with him. Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) began Surah al-Baqarah and Surah al-Nisa'. The man went away, and news reached him that Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) had spoken against him. Then he came and complained to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Mu'adh! Are you spreading trial?" He said it three times. "If only you had recited these surahs: 'Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High' [Surah al-A'la: 1], 'By the sun and its brightness' [Surah al-Shams: 1] and 'By the night when it covers' [Surah al-Layl: 1], for behind you pray the old, the needy and the weak."

(a) Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) says that Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) led his companions in the Isha prayer and made the prayer long. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was informed of this, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Mu'adh! Are you one who puts people to trial? Make it light for people. Recite these surahs: 'By the sun and its brightness', 'Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High' and surahs like them, and do not make things hard for people."
(b) In the narration of al-Layth bin Sa'd there is an addition: "Recite: 'Read in the name of your Lord' [Surah al-Alaq: 1], 'By the night when it covers' [Surah al-Layl: 1]," and he did not mention the sentence about not making things hard for people.

Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned the story of Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him); in it is that Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray the Isha prayer with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then return and lead his companions in prayer. One night he returned and led them in prayer, and a young man from his people prayed behind him. When the prayer became long for the young man, he left the congregation, prayed his own prayer, took hold of his camel's halter and went away. When Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) finished the prayer, he was told about it, and he said: "This is a hypocrite; I will inform the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about him." And the young man said: "I too will inform the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) of what he did." In the morning they went to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) told the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) what the young man had done. The young man said: "O Messenger of Allah! He stays a long time with you (peace and blessings be upon him), then comes back and leads us in a long prayer." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Mu'adh! Are you one who puts people to trial?" And he asked the young man: "O son of my brother! What do you do when you pray?" He said: "I recite Surah al-Fatihah, ask Allah for Paradise and seek refuge with Him from the Fire. I do not understand your humming and the humming of Mu'adh." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Mu'adh and I revolve around these two," or he said something like it. The narrator says: The young man said: "But Mu'adh will come to know when the people come, and they have been told that the enemy has come." The narrator says: They came, and the young man was martyred. After that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him): "What became of the one who disputed with me and with you?" Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "He was true to Allah and I spoke falsely; he has been martyred."

Hazm bin Abi Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) says that he came to Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was leading his people in the Maghrib prayer. In this narration it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Mu'adh! Do not be one who puts people to trial, for behind you pray the old, the weak, the needy or those with work, and the traveller."
The earlier narrations, which mention the Isha prayer, are more authentic, and Allah knows best.