Chapter: The Rulings of Leading the Prayer (Imāmah)

This noble religious function was assumed by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself, and after him by his rightly guided successors.

Numerous hadiths extol the virtue of leading the prayer. Among them is his ﷺ statement: “Three men will be upon hillocks of musk on the Day of Resurrection,” where he mentioned that one of them is “a man who leads a people in prayer while they are pleased with him.” In another narration he ﷺ said: “He shall have a reward equal to the reward of those who pray behind him.”

For this reason some of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, would say to the Prophet ﷺ, “Appoint me as the imam of my people,” aware as they were of the distinction and reward attached to the role.

Yet, to our deep regret, we now see many students of sacred knowledge