Two men, one is a reciter and the other is a better reciter, but he wears trousers. Which one is preferred for leading the prayer?

The questioner : But now, questions regarding leading the prayer?

The Shaykh : Raise your voice, please.

The questioner : Questions regarding leading the prayer. Two men: one is a reciter and the other is a better reciter, but the better reciter wears trousers. Which one is preferred for leading the prayer?

The Shaykh : The better reciter.

The questioner : Even if he is?

The Shaykh : There is no need for that, because this is a priority.
Al-Halabi : I was asked about it!

The questioner : Okay, another question.

The Shaykh : I say the better reciter in all cases, because here there are matters related to the legal qualifications that serve as a criterion for preferring one person over another in terms of leading the prayer. And there are other qualities related to every Muslim, not in relation to that aspect, which is leading the prayer, but related to the person himself: who is closer to Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) and who is more God-fearing. This aspect should not overshadow the first aspect. The imam may be more God-fearing in the sight of Allah; this is a fact about which there is no doubt or hesitation. It may be that among those who pray behind the imam who leads the people, there is someone who is more God-fearing than him by stages that cannot be counted. This is a reality in the earliest, brightest, and purest period of Islamic history. No Muslim scholar, or at least a student of knowledge, can doubt this fact or hesitate about it. So, we are faced with a methodology regarding both matters: the first, which concerns who is more deserving of leading the prayer, and the second, which concerns who is more God-fearing in the sight of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). As for this second aspect, it is neither the subject of our discussion nor in need of explanation or elaboration, because the more a Muslim is obedient to Allah, the more God-fearing he is in the sight of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). But the first matter is the reason for the question. So I say now: here there is a reciter who is more God-fearing, and there is a better reciter who is lower in God-fearingness. He is, as I gave an example earlier, wearing trousers. He may be one who shaves his beard, he may deal in riba (usury or interest), he may be a shedder of blood, and so on. But he is the one more deserving of leading the prayer. So who is preferred? The one about whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith, and there are other hadiths that complete this legal aspect. But for the specific subject of the question, it is sufficient for us now to mention the hadith in Muslim’s Sahih from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: So, the better reciter is preferred over the one who is more knowledgeable about the Sunnah. Then, from the other hadiths, at least one must be mentioned to give an example from the earliest period of Islamic history: That is, this ruler, who is the imam, either the first imam, meaning the caliph, or his deputy, is not led in prayer by this imam in his domain. This hadith serves as a restriction and specification of the first hadith. And this is the crux of the matter, and with it the answer to your question ends. We used to find the great Companions and their virtuous ones praying behind the oppressive tyrant, who was al-Hajjaj. Abdullah ibn 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, who is cited as an example of being among the virtuous, ascetic, and truly God-fearing of the Companions, used to pray behind him. Look at who is the better reciter and who is the more knowledgeable: is it the oppressive tyrant al-Hajjaj, or is it Abdullah ibn 'Umar ibn al-Khattab? No. There is a vast difference between them. So, the better reciter is preferred, and no regard is given to his righteousness and God-fearingness. And here we conclude the answer with his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the imams: From the understanding of this hadith, if we return to the first hadith, which includes that the better reciter is preferred over the one more knowledgeable about the Sunnah, it may be that he is the better reciter but does not know the rulings of prayer well, or what may occur that invalidates or diminishes it. Nevertheless, he (peace and blessings be upon him) preferred him. Then he reassured those praying behind this imam, who is the better reciter but not the most knowledgeable about the Sunnah, by saying: And with this, the answer ends.