A Permanent Mosque Imam and a Student in the Mosque Who Recites the Noble Qur'an Better Than Him: Who Is More Entitled to Lead the Prayer?
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The questioner : He says: A permanent mosque imam, and in the mosque there is one of his students who recites the Noble Qur'an better than he does. Who is more entitled to lead the prayer, O honorable Shaykh?
The Shaykh : The permanent imam is more entitled to lead the prayer in his mosque than anyone else.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because he is the one with authority in this mosque. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 673a He said that after saying: Sahih Muslim 673a He said: Sahih Muslim 673a Even if the other person recites better than him. The permanent imam in his mosque has authority, so no one should take precedence over him. In fact, some scholars said: If someone takes precedence and prays in the mosque without the permission of the permanent imam or his excuse, then the prayer is not valid, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) forbade that, and what is forbidden is not valid.
In any case, it is not permissible for a person to take precedence over the permanent imam as long as the permanent imam is establishing what is obligatory in leading the prayer, even if someone else recites better or is more knowledgeable than him.
As for initially, if a group of people gather and want to pray in congregation, in this case they should put forward the one among them who recites the Book of Allah best, as stated in the hadith.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Likewise, if we wanted to appoint an imam in this mosque initially, and people came forward to lead the prayer in this mosque, we would choose the one among them who recites the Book of Allah best and is most God-fearing. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. The listener Nasser A. A. A. says.
The Shaykh : The permanent imam is more entitled to lead the prayer in his mosque than anyone else.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because he is the one with authority in this mosque. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
No man must lead another in prayer where (the latter) has authority
لا يؤمّن الرجل الرجل في سلطانهThe one who is most versed in Allah'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 Sunnah if they are equal regarding the Sunnah, then the earliest one to emigrate; it they emigrated at the same time, then the earliest one to embrace Islam.
يؤم القوم أقرؤهم لكتاب الله، فإن كانوا في القراءة سواء فأعلمهم بالسنّة، فإن كانوا في السنّة سواء فأقدمهم هجرة، فإن كانوا في الهجرة سواء فأقدمهم سِلماً أو سناًNo man must lead another in prayer where (the latter) has authority
ولا يؤمن الرجل الرجل في سلطانهIn any case, it is not permissible for a person to take precedence over the permanent imam as long as the permanent imam is establishing what is obligatory in leading the prayer, even if someone else recites better or is more knowledgeable than him.
As for initially, if a group of people gather and want to pray in congregation, in this case they should put forward the one among them who recites the Book of Allah best, as stated in the hadith.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Likewise, if we wanted to appoint an imam in this mosque initially, and people came forward to lead the prayer in this mosque, we would choose the one among them who recites the Book of Allah best and is most God-fearing. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. The listener Nasser A. A. A. says.