Source: Fatawa Muhammadiyyah, Vol. 1, Page 424
In a mosque where an Imam has been officially appointed, does a congregant have the right to appoint someone else to lead the prayer in the presence of the appointed Imam? Does the person who stands at the prayer spot (muṣallā) without being the designated Imam have the right to lead the prayer? Please answer in light of Hadith. Jazākumullāhu Aḥsan al-Jazāʾ
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd:
In the mentioned scenario, it must be clearly understood that:
✔ Neither does a congregant have the right to appoint another person to lead the prayer in place of the officially appointed Imam while he is present,
✔ Nor does any other person (besides the appointed Imam) have the authority to lead the prayer in such a case.
However, if the appointed Imam willingly and explicitly permits someone else to lead the prayer, then this permission is valid and the designated individual may lead.
In Tuhfat al-Aḥwadhī, under the chapter “Who Has the Most Right to Lead the Prayer”, a narration from Abū Masʿūd al-Anṣārī رضي الله عنه is cited:
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يَؤُمُّ القَوْمَ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي القِرَاءَةِ سَوَاءً، فَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِالسُّنَّةِ، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي السُّنَّةِ سَوَاءً، فَأَقْدَمُهُمْ هِجْرَةً، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الهِجْرَةِ سَوَاءً، فَأَكْبَرُهُمْ سِنًّا، وَلَا يُؤَمُّ الرَّجُلُ فِي سُلْطَانِهِ، وَلَا يُجْلَسُ عَلَى تَكْرِمَتِهِ فِي بَيْتِهِ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ»
Imām ʿĪsā said this ḥadīth is ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ and the scholars have acted upon it. Imām ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Mubārakfūrī mentioned that Imām Muslim also recorded this narration.
(Tuhfat al-Aḥwadhī: Vol. 1, Page 197)
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“The one most proficient in the recitation of the Book of Allah should lead the people in prayer. If they are equal in recitation, then the one most knowledgeable of the Sunnah. If they are equal in the Sunnah, then the one who migrated earlier. If equal in migration, then the eldest among them. And no person should lead prayer in the domain of another (i.e., in the presence of the authority of the place), nor should he sit on his designated seat in his home except with his permission.”
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنه used to pray behind Ḥajjāj ibn Yūsuf, and it is narrated from him that he said:
"The appointed Imam of the mosque has more right to lead prayer than others, except the ruler."
كَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ يُصَلِّي خَلْفَ الْحَجَّاجِ، وَصَحَّ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ أَنَّ إِمَامَ الْمَسْجِدِ مُقَدَّمٌ عَلَى غَيْرِ السُّلْطَانِ۔
(Tuhfat al-Aḥwadhī: Vol. 1, Page 197)
While commenting on this Hadith, Imām Ṭībī wrote:
وتحريره أن الجماعة شرعت لاجتماع المؤمنين على الطاعة وتألفهم وتوادهم، فإذا أم الرجل الرجل في سلطانه أفضى ذلك إلى توهين أمر السلطنة وخلع ربقة الطاعة، وكذلك إذا أمّه في قومه أهله أدى ذلك إلى التباغض والتقاطع وظهور الخلاف الذي شرع لرفعه الاجتماع، فلا يتقدم الرجل على ذي السلطنة لاسيما في الأعياد والجمعات، وعلى إمام الحي ورب البيت إلا بالإذن۔
The purpose of congregational prayer is to unite believers upon obedience, mutual love, and harmony. If someone leads the prayer in the presence of the ruler (or appointed authority), it results in undermining his authority and weakening the bond of obedience. Similarly, if someone leads the prayer in another person's household or among his community without his permission, it leads to resentment, division, and open disputes—whereas the purpose of gathering was to remove such discord. Hence, no one should lead the prayer in the presence of the ruler—especially in Jumuʿah and ʿĪd prayers—or in the place of a local Imam or the head of a household, except with their explicit permission.
✿ No one may lead the prayer in the presence of the appointed Imam, unless he is the ruler or has explicit permission.
✿ If the appointed Imam grants permission willingly, another person may be allowed to lead.
✿ However, this permission must be taken before standing at the prayer spot (muṣallā).
✿ Seeking permission after stepping forward is not valid.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
❖ Question:
In a mosque where an Imam has been officially appointed, does a congregant have the right to appoint someone else to lead the prayer in the presence of the appointed Imam? Does the person who stands at the prayer spot (muṣallā) without being the designated Imam have the right to lead the prayer? Please answer in light of Hadith. Jazākumullāhu Aḥsan al-Jazāʾ
❖ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd:
In the mentioned scenario, it must be clearly understood that:
✔ Neither does a congregant have the right to appoint another person to lead the prayer in place of the officially appointed Imam while he is present,
✔ Nor does any other person (besides the appointed Imam) have the authority to lead the prayer in such a case.
However, if the appointed Imam willingly and explicitly permits someone else to lead the prayer, then this permission is valid and the designated individual may lead.
❖ Evidence from Hadith
In Tuhfat al-Aḥwadhī, under the chapter “Who Has the Most Right to Lead the Prayer”, a narration from Abū Masʿūd al-Anṣārī رضي الله عنه is cited:
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يَؤُمُّ القَوْمَ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي القِرَاءَةِ سَوَاءً، فَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِالسُّنَّةِ، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي السُّنَّةِ سَوَاءً، فَأَقْدَمُهُمْ هِجْرَةً، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الهِجْرَةِ سَوَاءً، فَأَكْبَرُهُمْ سِنًّا، وَلَا يُؤَمُّ الرَّجُلُ فِي سُلْطَانِهِ، وَلَا يُجْلَسُ عَلَى تَكْرِمَتِهِ فِي بَيْتِهِ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ»
Imām ʿĪsā said this ḥadīth is ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ and the scholars have acted upon it. Imām ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Mubārakfūrī mentioned that Imām Muslim also recorded this narration.
(Tuhfat al-Aḥwadhī: Vol. 1, Page 197)
Translation of the Hadith:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“The one most proficient in the recitation of the Book of Allah should lead the people in prayer. If they are equal in recitation, then the one most knowledgeable of the Sunnah. If they are equal in the Sunnah, then the one who migrated earlier. If equal in migration, then the eldest among them. And no person should lead prayer in the domain of another (i.e., in the presence of the authority of the place), nor should he sit on his designated seat in his home except with his permission.”
❖ Practice of the Companions
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنه used to pray behind Ḥajjāj ibn Yūsuf, and it is narrated from him that he said:
"The appointed Imam of the mosque has more right to lead prayer than others, except the ruler."
كَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ يُصَلِّي خَلْفَ الْحَجَّاجِ، وَصَحَّ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ أَنَّ إِمَامَ الْمَسْجِدِ مُقَدَّمٌ عَلَى غَيْرِ السُّلْطَانِ۔
(Tuhfat al-Aḥwadhī: Vol. 1, Page 197)
❖ Explanation by Imām Ṭībī رحمه الله
While commenting on this Hadith, Imām Ṭībī wrote:
وتحريره أن الجماعة شرعت لاجتماع المؤمنين على الطاعة وتألفهم وتوادهم، فإذا أم الرجل الرجل في سلطانه أفضى ذلك إلى توهين أمر السلطنة وخلع ربقة الطاعة، وكذلك إذا أمّه في قومه أهله أدى ذلك إلى التباغض والتقاطع وظهور الخلاف الذي شرع لرفعه الاجتماع، فلا يتقدم الرجل على ذي السلطنة لاسيما في الأعياد والجمعات، وعلى إمام الحي ورب البيت إلا بالإذن۔
Translation:
The purpose of congregational prayer is to unite believers upon obedience, mutual love, and harmony. If someone leads the prayer in the presence of the ruler (or appointed authority), it results in undermining his authority and weakening the bond of obedience. Similarly, if someone leads the prayer in another person's household or among his community without his permission, it leads to resentment, division, and open disputes—whereas the purpose of gathering was to remove such discord. Hence, no one should lead the prayer in the presence of the ruler—especially in Jumuʿah and ʿĪd prayers—or in the place of a local Imam or the head of a household, except with their explicit permission.
❖ Summary of the Ruling
✿ No one may lead the prayer in the presence of the appointed Imam, unless he is the ruler or has explicit permission.
✿ If the appointed Imam grants permission willingly, another person may be allowed to lead.
✿ However, this permission must be taken before standing at the prayer spot (muṣallā).
✿ Seeking permission after stepping forward is not valid.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
