Abu Sa'id reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When there are three people one of them should lead them. The one among them most worthy to act as imam is the one who is most versed in the Qur’an.”
Muslim transmitted it. The tradition of Malik b. al-Huwairith has been mentioned in a chapter following that on the excellence of the adhan (Ch. 7a).
Abu Mas'ud reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The one of you who is most versed in God’s Book should act as imam for the people; but if they are equally versed in reciting it, then the one who has most knowledge regarding the sunna; if they are equal regarding the sunna, then the earliest of them to emigrate; if they emigrated at the same time, then the oldest of them. No man must lead another in prayer where the latter has authority, or sit in his place of honour in his house, without his permission.”
Muslim transmitted it. A version by him has, “And a man must not act as imam for another in his own family.”
While I was in the mosque in the front row a man pulled me from behind, moved me aside and took my place, with the result, I swear by God, that I did not know what prayers I said. When he had finished I saw that he was Ubayy b. Ka'b. He said, “Young man, God does not wrong you, for this is a charge from the Prophet to us that we should be near him.” He then faced the qibla and said three times, “May ahl al-'aqd perish, by the Lord of the Ka'ba!” Then he said, “I swear by God that I do not grieve for them, but for those they have led astray.” I asked, “Abu Ya'qub, what do you mean by ahl al-'aqd?”* He replied, “The commanders.”
* One of the meanings of 'aqd is “responsibility.’’ The phrase literally means “the people bf responsibility”, i.e. those who are in responsible positions. A chief ruler may be called sahib al-'aqd wal hall, i.e. he who binds and looses.
Nasa’i transmitted it.
