Who is most deserving of leading the Prayer
باب مَنْ أَحَقُّ بِالإِمَامَةِ
Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them(view book)
It was narrated that Malik bin Huwairith said:
“I came to the Prophet ﷺ with a friend of mine, and when we wanted to leave, he said to us: ‘When the time for prayer comes, say the Adhan and Iqamah, then let the older of you lead the prayer.’”
حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ هِلاَلٍ الصَّوَّافُ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ، عَنْ أَبِي قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ الْحُوَيْرِثِ، قَالَ أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ أَنَا وَصَاحِبٌ لِي فَلَمَّا أَرَدْنَا الاِنْصِرَافَ قَالَ لَنَا " إِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَأَذِّنَا وَأَقِيمَا وَلْيَؤُمَّكُمَا أَكْبَرُكُمَا " .
Classification
Abu Mas’ud said:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘The people should be lead by the one who is most well-Versed in recitation of the Book of Allah. If they are equal in recitation, then they should be led by the one who emigrated first. If they are equal in emigration, then they should be led by the eldest. A man should not be led among his family or in his place of authority; no one should be sat in his place of honour in his house without permission, or without his permission.’”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ رَجَاءٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَوْسَ بْنَ ضَمْعَجٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا مَسْعُودٍ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ " يَؤُمُّ الْقَوْمَ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ كَانَتْ قِرَاءَتُهُمْ سَوَاءً فَلْيَؤُمَّهُمْ أَقْدَمُهُمْ هِجْرَةً فَإِنْ كَانَتِ الْهِجْرَةُ سَوَاءً فَلْيَؤُمَّهُمْ أَكْبَرُهُمْ سِنًّا وَلاَ يُؤَمَّ الرَّجُلُ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَلاَ فِي سُلْطَانِهِ وَلاَ يُجْلَسْ عَلَى تَكْرِمَتِهِ فِي بَيْتِهِ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنٍ أَوْ بِإِذْنِهِ " .