Ruling on taking the lead in prayer before the regular imam
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If the mosque imam is delayed and a person from the mosque congregation steps forward to lead, and then the regular imam arrives after the person has already said the takbir of intention, is it permissible for him to step back and return the lead to the regular imam, or not?
First: It is not permissible for anyone to proceed before the regular imam unless he has told them: "If a third of an hour, a quarter of an hour, or half an hour has passed, as he decides, then establish the prayer." Some people—may Allah protect us from that—take it lightly; if the imam is delayed by two or three minutes, they tell him: "Establish the prayer." This is not permissible, because the imam in his mosque is like the ruler over his subjects.For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (And a man does not feel safe from another man in his authority) So he should wait.But if he had given them permission and said: If a third of an hour has passed, then establish the prayer. If a third of an hour has passed and they have established the prayer, one of them steps forward. Then, when the imam arrives, the imam has the right to step forward, and that person should step back into the row, because the imam is the one with authority in his mosque.
Is it better for the imam to step forward and for the one who established the prayer to step back, or is it better for him to join the congregation? The most common view is that the second option is better and further from enmity and hatred. So I see that if he arrives and one of the worshippers has already stepped forward, he should leave him in his position and not try to displace him, and complete the prayer with the people, whether in the first rak'ah or the last.
First: It is not permissible for anyone to proceed before the regular imam unless he has told them: "If a third of an hour, a quarter of an hour, or half an hour has passed, as he decides, then establish the prayer." Some people—may Allah protect us from that—take it lightly; if the imam is delayed by two or three minutes, they tell him: "Establish the prayer." This is not permissible, because the imam in his mosque is like the ruler over his subjects.For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (And a man does not feel safe from another man in his authority) So he should wait.But if he had given them permission and said: If a third of an hour has passed, then establish the prayer. If a third of an hour has passed and they have established the prayer, one of them steps forward. Then, when the imam arrives, the imam has the right to step forward, and that person should step back into the row, because the imam is the one with authority in his mosque.
Is it better for the imam to step forward and for the one who established the prayer to step back, or is it better for him to join the congregation? The most common view is that the second option is better and further from enmity and hatred. So I see that if he arrives and one of the worshippers has already stepped forward, he should leave him in his position and not try to displace him, and complete the prayer with the people, whether in the first rak'ah or the last.