Section on Leading the Prayer (Imāmah)

The person most entitled to lead is the one whose Qur’anic recitation is the finest and whose grasp of jurisprudence is the soundest. A proficient reciter who does not know the detailed rulings of the prayer nevertheless takes precedence over a jurist who is illiterate. After that comes the eldest, then the noblest in lineage, then the most God-fearing and scrupulous; if equality remains, lots are drawn.

The host in his own home and the appointed imam of a mosque—even if he is a slave—have a stronger claim. A free man is preferred to a slave. Likewise, the resident, the sighted, and the worshipper who has performed ablution have precedence over, respectively, the traveller, the blind, and the one who is praying with dry ablution.

It is disliked to lead the prayer in place of someone more entitled without his permission.

The leadership of an open sinner (fāsiq) is invalid except for Friday and ʿĪd prayers when no other imam is available. Valid, however—though disliked—is the leadership of a blind man, a deaf man¹, an uncircumcised man², one who makes many pronunciation errors so long as they do not change the meaning³, and a stammerer who repeats the letter t⁴.

The leadership of anyone unable to fulfil a prerequisite or an essential pillar is invalid unless the congregation shares the same inability—apart from the supreme leader (al-Imām).