If the congregation dislikes the imam because he applies the Sunnah, does the ruling in the hadith apply to him?
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The questioner : Our Shaykh, the hadith in which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: What is understood from this hadith, our Shaykh?
Another questioner : I would like to add to this question, Shaykh, if you allow me. I am an imam in a mosque, as you know, our Shaykh. I lead the prayer in this mosque, and some of the people dislike my leading them, but they dislike this prayer because I establish the Sunnah among them. Does this statement apply to someone like me?
The Shaykh : No, this hadith does not apply. It applies to one who leads the people in opposition to the Sunnah, such as the story of Mu'adh with that Ansari man. This man was an Ansari who entered Mu'adh's mosque to pray behind him in the 'Isha' prayer. Mu'adh began with Surat al-Baqarah, so the man cut off the prayer, moved to the side, prayed four rak'ahs on his own, and left the mosque.
The questioner : Mu'adh left what he had prayed with him.
The Shaykh : He did not pray with him. Naturally, after the prayer, it was said to Mu'adh: So-and-so came to you and did such and such. Mu'adh spoke ill of him, saying, “This man is a hypocrite.” Why? Because he left the congregational prayer. This insult reached the ears of the Ansari, so he went complaining to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about Mu'adh.
A man whose entire prayer does not rise above his ears, or one who leads a people who dislike him
رجل لا ترتفع صلاته كلها أذنيه من أمَّ قومًا وهم له كارهونAnother questioner : I would like to add to this question, Shaykh, if you allow me. I am an imam in a mosque, as you know, our Shaykh. I lead the prayer in this mosque, and some of the people dislike my leading them, but they dislike this prayer because I establish the Sunnah among them. Does this statement apply to someone like me?
The Shaykh : No, this hadith does not apply. It applies to one who leads the people in opposition to the Sunnah, such as the story of Mu'adh with that Ansari man. This man was an Ansari who entered Mu'adh's mosque to pray behind him in the 'Isha' prayer. Mu'adh began with Surat al-Baqarah, so the man cut off the prayer, moved to the side, prayed four rak'ahs on his own, and left the mosque.
The questioner : Mu'adh left what he had prayed with him.
The Shaykh : He did not pray with him. Naturally, after the prayer, it was said to Mu'adh: So-and-so came to you and did such and such. Mu'adh spoke ill of him, saying, “This man is a hypocrite.” Why? Because he left the congregational prayer. This insult reached the ears of the Ansari, so he went complaining to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about Mu'adh.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.