What is prescribed for the imam between the adhan and the iqamah

Question:
Our brother asks a question that contains some oddity. He says: If the imam of the mosque waits in his home and does not come to the mosque until the iqamah, and he does not occupy himself at home with a voluntary prayer or reciting the Qur'an, is it better for him to hasten to the mosque before the iqamah?

Answer:
We do not know of a specific limit or a clear sunnah in this matter; rather, the matter is left to the imam. If he sees that his presence in the mosque is better for his heart and more beneficial for the people, so that he can recite and pray whatever is easy for him, and perhaps he is a scholar who issues fatwas to people regarding what they ask about him and the like, then this is better. And if he sees that staying in his home is better for him, so that he can recite in his home and pray the rawatib in his home, and then come when the prayer is established, as is the common practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then that is the case.
What is known of his (peace and blessings be upon him) practice is that he would remain in his home, and when the time for the iqamah came, he would go out to the people (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the principle for the imam: he remains in his home and occupies himself with what Allah has made easy for him, such as recitation, knowledge, or a voluntary prayer, and the like. He should strive to maintain the rawatib that Allah has prescribed: four before the Zuhr prayer and two after it, two after the Maghrib prayer, two after the 'Isha' prayer, and two before the Fajr prayer. These are the rawatib that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) maintained. If the imam performs them in his home, and does what Allah has made easy for him of good, such as studying the Qur'an, reading knowledge, or memorizing something that benefits him from knowledge or the Qur'an, then all of this is good.
So the principle is that the imam remains in his home, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and then when the time for the iqamah comes, he establishes the prayer. If he sees in a certain situation, or in a certain village, or in a certain town that his coming to the mosque before the prayer to wait for it with the people in the mosque, praying what Allah has written for him of what Allah has prescribed, and reciting the Qur'an, or glorifying and praising Allah in a place in the mosque until the time for the iqamah comes, then all of this is permissible.
In summary: The principle and the better option is to be in the home until the time for the iqamah comes, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). If another matter occurs for him that necessitates his presence in the mosque, and there is a stronger benefit in that than in his remaining in the home, then I do not know of any harm in this. Rather, he should seek what is closer to the benefit and usefulness for the Muslims.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.