The Book of Leading the Prayer (Al-Imamah)
كتاب الإمامة
Chapter 8: The prayer of an Imam behind a man of his people
It was narrated from Aisha that Abu Bakr led the people in prayer and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)was in the row.
Chapter 9: A visitor leading the prayer
"I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'When any one of you visits some people,he should not lead them in prayer."'
Chapter 12: People standing when they see the Imam
"The messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'When the call to prayer is given, do not stand up until you see me.'"
Chapter 17: Following those who are following the Imam
"Come forward and follow me, and let those who are behind you follow your lead. If peoplecontinue to lag behind, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, will put them back."
Chapter 23: Who should stand immediately behind Imam and who should stand behind them
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to gently pat our shoulders (to make sure the row was straight) at the time of prayer, and he-would say:'Keep (the rows) straight; do not differ from one another lest your hearts would be afflicted with discord. Let those who are mature and wise stand closest to me, then those who are next to them, then those who are next to them."' Abu Mas'ud said: Today, there is much disharmony among you. ,Abu 'Abdur-Rabin (An-Nasai)said: (One of the narrators) Abu Ma'mar's name is 'Abdullah bin Sakhbarah.
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Chapter 2: Praying with tyrannical leaders
"Ziyad delayed the prayer, then Ibn Samit came to me and I gave him a chair and he sat on it. I told him what Ziyad had done and he bit his lip (in disapproval), and he struck me on the thigh and said: 'I asked Abu Dharr the same question you asked me, and he struck me on the thigh as I struck you on the thigh and said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) the same question as you have asked me and he struck me on the thigh as I have struck you on the thigh and said: Offer the prayer on time, and if you catch up with them, then pray with them, and do not say: 'I have already prayed so I will not pray(now)."'
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'You may live to meet people who will be offering the prayer outside its (prayer) time. If you meet them, then offer the prayer on time, then pray with them and make that a voluntary prayer."'
Chapter 11: A boy leading the prayer before reaching puberty
"Riders used to pass by us and we would leam the Qur'an from them. My father came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and he said: 'Let the one of you who knows most Qur'an leads the prayer.' My father came and said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had said: 'Let the one of you who knows most Quran lead you in prayer.' They looked and found that I was the one who knew most Qur'an, so I used to lead them in prayer when I was eight years old.'
Chapter 16: Following the Imam in prayer
"The Imam is appointed to be followed. When he bows, then bow, when he stands up, then stand up, when he prostrates, then prostrate, and when he says Sami' Alldhu liman hamidah (Allah hears the one who praises Him), then say, Rabbanrilakal-hamd (Our Lord, to You be the praise)."
Chapter 17: Following those who are following the Imam
"The Prophet was in front of Abu Bakr and he prayed sitting down, and Abu Bakr was leading the people in prayer, and the people were behind Abu Bakr."
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led us in Zuhr prayer and Abu Bakr was behind him. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said the Takbir, Abu Bakr said the Takbir so that the people could hear."
Chapter 19: When three men and one woman pray together
"Get up and I will lead you in prayer." Anas said: "So I got up and brought a reed mat of ours that had turned black from long use, and spreaded somewater on it. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood and the orphan and I stood in a row behind him, and the old woman stood behind us, and he led us in praying two Rak'ahs, then he left."
Chapter 20: When there are two men and two women
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered upon us and the only people present were myself, my mother, the orphan and Umm Harh, my maternal aunt. He said: 'Stand up and I will lead you in prayer.' It was not the time for a (prescribed) prayer. And he led us in prayer."
Chapter 23: Who should stand immediately behind Imam and who should stand behind them
"While I was in the Masjid in the first row, a man pulled me from behind and moved me aside, and took my place. By Allah, I could not focus on my prayer, then when he left I saw that it was Ubayy bin Ka'b. He said: '0 boy, may Allah protect you from harm. This is what the Prophet instructed us to do, to stand directly behind him.' Then he (Ubayy) turned to face the Qiblah and said: 'Doomed are Ah1 Al-'Uqd, by the Lord of the Ka'bah! - three times.'Then he said: 'By Allah, I am not sad for them, but I am sad for the people whom they have misled.' I said: '0 Abu Ya'qub, what do you mean by Ah1 Al-'Uqd?' He said: 'The rulers."'
Chapter 26: What the Imam should say regarding straightening the rows when he comes forward
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to gently pat our shoulders (to make sure the row was straight) at the time of prayer, and he would say: 'Keep (the rows) straight; do not differ from one another lest your hearts should suffer from discord. Let those who are mature and wise stand closest to me, then those who are next to them, then those who are next to them."'
Chapter 27: Hoe many times should he say "Make your rows straight?"
"Make your rows straight, make your rows straight, make your rows straight. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! I can see you behind me as I can see you in front of me."
Chapter 24: Setting up rows before the Imam comes out
"The Iqamah for prayer was said, and we stood up and the rows were straightened, before the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came out to us. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to us and stood in the place where he prayed, before he said the Takbir he paused and said to us: 'Stay where you are.' So we stayed there, waiting for him, until he came out to us; he had performed Ghusl and his head was dripping with water. Then he said the Takbir and prayed."
Chapter 25: How the Imam should straighten the rows
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to go between the rows from one side to another, patting our shoulders and chests and saying: 'Do not make your rows ragged or your hearts will be filled with enmity toward one another.' And he used to say: 'Allah and His angels send Salah upon the front rows."'
Chapter 37: What is permissible for the Imam to do during the prayer
"I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)leading the people in prayer, carrying Umamah bint Abi Al-As on his shoulder. When he bowed he put her down and when he stood up from prostration he picked her up again."