The Book of Jihad, Expeditions, and Authority-08a
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The Reciter: And Abu al-Ghassan al-Masm'i, and Ishaq ibn Ibrahim, and Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna narrated to us. Ishaq said: He informed us, and the other two said: He narrated to us. Mu'adh ibn Hisham narrated to me from my father, from Qatadah, from Abu al-Mulih, that 'Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, .
The Shaykh : This is more severe than the first, because the first is about one who died while being a deceiver, and this is about one who died without giving sincere advice to the Ummah. There is a station between deception and sincere advice. Based on this hadith, we say: It is obligatory for everyone who takes charge of any of the affairs of the Muslims to strive for them in giving sincere advice. Among this is the imam of the mosque; it is obligatory for him to lead them in prayer as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray, whether in standing, bowing, prostrating, or sitting. When a person prays alone, he has the choice to lengthen or shorten the prayer, but in congregation, we must follow the Sunnah with them as much as possible.
This is a point that many imams overlook. For example, one might say: "I will read any surah, because Allah says:[Al-Muzzammil 73:20], so I will read on Friday night, instead of Surah al-Sajdah and 'Has there come,' I will read 'When the earth is shaken' and 'The Chargers,' for example." We say: This is not up to you. The people behind you want you to bring what conforms to the Sunnah. Just as if he wanted to add to what the Sunnah brought, he would be prevented and told: Do not add to what the Sunnah brought.
If you pray for yourself, lengthen as much as you wish. But if you pray for others, you are now a guardian and a ruler. It is obligatory for you to lead them according to what the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) requires.
He entered upon Ma'qil ibn Yasar during his illness, and Ma'qil said to him: "I am about to tell you a hadith; had I not been in the throes of death, I would not have told you. I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'No ruler who takes charge of the affairs of the Muslims, then does not strive for them and give them sincere advice, will enter Paradise with them.'"
دَخَلَ عَلَى مَعْقِلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ فِي مَرَضِهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مَعْقِلٌ : إِنِّي مُحَدِّثُكَ بِحَدِيثٍ لَوْلَا أَنِّي فِي الْمَوْتِ لَمْ أُحَدِّثْكَ بِهِ، سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، يَقُولُ : مَا مِنْ أَمِيرٍ يَلِي أَمْرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، ثُمَّ لَا يَجْهَدُ لَهُمْ وَيَنْصَحُ، إِلَّا لَمْ يَدْخُلْ مَعَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَThe Shaykh : This is more severe than the first, because the first is about one who died while being a deceiver, and this is about one who died without giving sincere advice to the Ummah. There is a station between deception and sincere advice. Based on this hadith, we say: It is obligatory for everyone who takes charge of any of the affairs of the Muslims to strive for them in giving sincere advice. Among this is the imam of the mosque; it is obligatory for him to lead them in prayer as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray, whether in standing, bowing, prostrating, or sitting. When a person prays alone, he has the choice to lengthen or shorten the prayer, but in congregation, we must follow the Sunnah with them as much as possible.
This is a point that many imams overlook. For example, one might say: "I will read any surah, because Allah says:
recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur'an
اقرؤا ما تيسر من القرآنIf you pray for yourself, lengthen as much as you wish. But if you pray for others, you are now a guardian and a ruler. It is obligatory for you to lead them according to what the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) requires.