Which is preferred for leading the prayer, the memorizer or the jurist?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : The one with more knowledge of fiqh is the one with more knowledge of the Sunnah.
The questioner : Yes, I mean, suppose two people come to us now, one is a memorizer and the other is a reader, excuse me, a jurist or one who knows fiqh; the one with the best memorization is preferred.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Even if we entertain the possibility, though it is weak, that he may not be proficient in the fiqh of prayer, and this is the original point, even if the possibility is weak.
The Shaykh : This remains a different level.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Because when he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 235Sahih (Darussalam), it does not mean the one with more knowledge of fiqh; it means the ignorant one who...
The questioner: Correct.
The Shaykh : You are giving him as an example now and asking, meaning, even if it were so, the answer is no.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But he is proficient in prayer, yet he is not the one with more knowledge of fiqh; he is the one with better recitation than that one with more knowledge of fiqh, who is the one with more knowledge of the Sunnah.
The questioner : Yes, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : I mean, the hadith of Amr.
The questioner : Ibn Abi Salamah.
The student : The evidence is authentic and clear.
The Shaykh : A very clear example.
The questioner : Shaykh, he mentioned it, and by Allah, may Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : Yes, I mean, suppose two people come to us now, one is a memorizer and the other is a reader, excuse me, a jurist or one who knows fiqh; the one with the best memorization is preferred.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Even if we entertain the possibility, though it is weak, that he may not be proficient in the fiqh of prayer, and this is the original point, even if the possibility is weak.
The Shaykh : This remains a different level.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Because when he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The one who recites most of the Book of Allah is to lead the people (in prayers). If they are equal in recitation, then the most knowledgeable in the Sunnah among them.
يؤمُّ القومَ أقرَؤُهم لكتاب الله ؛ فإن كانوا في القراءة سواء فأعلَمُهم بالسنةThe questioner: Correct.
The Shaykh : You are giving him as an example now and asking, meaning, even if it were so, the answer is no.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But he is proficient in prayer, yet he is not the one with more knowledge of fiqh; he is the one with better recitation than that one with more knowledge of fiqh, who is the one with more knowledge of the Sunnah.
The questioner : Yes, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : I mean, the hadith of Amr.
The questioner : Ibn Abi Salamah.
The student : The evidence is authentic and clear.
The Shaykh : A very clear example.
The questioner : Shaykh, he mentioned it, and by Allah, may Allah reward you with good.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.