even if he is wearing his military uniform, for he is a Muslim man. Indeed, we may say that he is engaged in work serving the public interest, and in this respect his work is better than that of one engaged in work serving a private interest, due to the general meaning of the hadith: “The one most versed in the Book of Allah should lead the people in prayer” (1).

The author specifically mentioned the child born of fornication and the soldier because some scholars regarded their leading the prayer as disliked. But there is no basis for deeming it disliked. As for the soldier, if he may sometimes subject people to hardship, oppression, and injustice, this can occur with anyone who holds authority—even a teacher in his classroom: he may domineer over some students and wrong them, while showing favor and partiality to others. Everyone entrusted with authority is liable either to act justly or unjustly.

ONE WHO PERFORMS THE PRAYER ON TIME LEADING ONE WHO IS MAKING IT UP, AND VICE VERSA, .............

His statement, “One who performs the prayer on time leading one who is making it up, and vice versa”: Here, there are three descriptions applicable to a prayer:

Performance on time: that which is done within its prescribed time for the first time.

Repetition: that which is done within its prescribed time for the second time.

Making up: that which is done after its prescribed time has passed.

Thus, the author’s statement, “The leadership in prayer of one who performs the prayer on time over one who is making it up is valid,” means that the one performing it on time is the imam, while the follower is the one making it up; and this is valid.

An example is a man who enters while the people are praying the noon prayer and remembers that he owes the noon prayer from yesterday. He begins with the missed prayer, joining them while intending yesterday’s noon prayer,