Once a man said to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I may not attend the (compulsory congregational) prayer because so and so (the Imam) prolongs the prayer when he leads us for it. The narrator added: "I never saw the Prophet (ﷺ) more furious in giving advice than he was on that day. The Prophet said, "O people! Some of you make others dislike good deeds (the prayers). So whoever leads the people in prayer should shorten it because among them there are the sick the weak and the needy (having some jobs to do).
The Incident and Its Context
This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari 90 presents a profound teaching moment where a companion complained about an imam prolonging congregational prayers, causing hardship for worshippers. The Prophet's ﷺ intense reaction demonstrates the gravity of this matter in Islamic jurisprudence.
Scholarly Commentary on the Prophet's Response
The Prophet's ﷺ fury stemmed from the imam's negligence of the fundamental Islamic principle of ease in worship. Scholars explain that making acts of worship burdensome drives people away from religion, contradicting the Quranic verse: "Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship" (2:185).
Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in Fath al-Bari emphasizes that the imam is a trustee over the congregation and must consider their diverse conditions - the sick seeking cure, the weak needing rest, and workers requiring time for their livelihoods.
Practical Rulings Derived
Classical scholars derived that an imam should recite medium-length chapters, balancing beauty with brevity. The prayer should be complete in pillars but not prolonged to cause hardship.
Imam al-Nawawi states in Sharh Sahih Muslim that the imam must shorten prayers when he knows some congregation members have valid excuses, applying the principle of removing hardship (raf' al-haraj).
Broader Implications for Islamic Pedagogy
This hadith teaches religious instructors and leaders to make Islam accessible, not burdensome. The Prophet ﷺ warned against creating barriers to faith through excessive strictness or unnecessary complications in worship.
Knowledge from Sahih al-Bukhari demonstrates that true religious leadership considers people's circumstances while maintaining the completeness of acts of worship, embodying the balanced moderation (wasatiyyah) characteristic of Islam.