Sunan Abi Dawud · Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat)
باب مَنْ أَحَقُّ بِالإِمَامَةِ
Chapter: Who Has More Right To Be Imam.
9 hadith · references 582–590
Sequential reading
Hadith in this chapter
Abu Dawud · 582يَؤُمُّ الْقَوْمَ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَأَقْدَمُهُمْ قِرَاءَةً ، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ سَوَاءً فَلْيَؤُمَّهُمْ أَقْدَمُهُمْ هِجْرَةً ، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْهِجْرَةِ سَوَاءً فَلْيَؤُمَّهُمْ أَكْبَرُهAbu Masud al-Badri reported the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: The one of you who is most versed in the Books of Allah should act as imam for the people; and the one who is the earliest of them in reciting (the Quran); 5 narratorsAbu Dawud · 583حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ مُعَاذٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ ، بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ ، قَالَ فِيهِ وَلَا يَؤُمُّ الرَّجُلُ الرَّجُلَ فِي سُلْطَانِهِ ، قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُد وَكَذَا قَالَ يَحْيَى الْقَطَّانُ ، عَنْ شThe version of this tradition narrated through a different chain by Shubah has the words: “A man should not lead the another man in prayer. Abu Dawud said: Yahya al-Qattan narrated from Shubah in a similar way, i. e. the3 narratorsAbu Dawud · 584حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ ، عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ رَجَاءٍ ، عَنْ أَوْسِ بْنِ ضَمْعَجٍ الْحَضْرَمِيِّ ، قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ أَبَا مَسْعُودٍ ، This tradition has been transmitted through a different chain by Abu Masud This version has words ; “If they are equally versed in recitation, then the one who has most knowledge of the Sunnah ; if they are equal with re6 narratorsAbu Dawud · 585حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَيُّوبُ ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَلَمَةَ ، قَالَ : كُنَّا بِحَاضِرٍ يَمُرُّ بِنَا النَّاسُ إِذَا أَتَوْا النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسAmr bin Salamah said ; we lived at a place where the people would pass by us when they came to the prophet ﷺ. When they returned they would again pass by us. And they used to inform us that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said 5 narratorsAbu Dawud · 586حَدَّثَنَا النُّفَيْلِيُّ ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ ، حَدَّثَنَا عَاصِمٌ الْأَحْوَلُ ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَلَمَةَ ، بِهَذَا الْخَبَرِ ، قَالَ : فَكُنْتُ أَؤُمُّهُمْ فِي بُرْدَةٍ مُوَصَّلَةٍ فِيهَا فَتْقٌ ، فَكُنْتُ إThis tradition has also been transmitted through a different chain by Amr bin Salamah. This version says: “I used to lead them in prayer with a sheet of cloth on me that was patched and torn. When I prostrated myself, my4 narratorsAbu Dawud · 587مَنْ يَؤُمُّنَا ؟ قَالَ : أَكْثَرُكُمْ جَمْعًا لِلْقُرْآنِ ، أَوْ أَخْذًا لِلْقُرْآنِAmr bin Salamah reported on the authority of his father (Salamah) that they visited the Prophet ﷺ. When they intended to return, they said: Messenger of Allah, who will lead us in prayer? He said: The one of you who know5 narratorsAbu Dawud · 588فَكَانَ يَؤُمُّهُمْ سَالِمٌ مَوْلَى أَبِي حُذَيْفَةَ وَكَانَ أَكْثَرَهُمْ قُرْآنًاIbn Umar said: when the first emigrants came (to Madina), they stayed at al-‘Asbah (a place near Madina) before the advent of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Salim, the client of Abu Hudhaifah, acted as their imam, as he knew 7 narrators·parallel chainAbu Dawud · 589إِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ ، فَأَذِّنَا ثُمَّ أَقِيمَا ثُمَّ لِيَؤُمَّكُمَا أَكْبَرُكُمَا سِنًّاMalik bin al-Huwairith said that the Prophet ﷺ told him or some of his companions: When the time of prayer comes, call the Adhan, then call the iqamah, then the one who is oldest of you should act as your imam. The versi7 narrators·parallel chainAbu Dawud · 590لِيُؤَذِّنْ لَكُمْ خِيَارُكُمْ ، وَلْيَؤُمَّكُمْ قُرَّاؤُكُمْNarrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: Let the best among you call the adhan for you, and the Quran-readers act as your imams.5 narrators