among them, teach them, instruct them, and pray as you have seen me pray. When the time for prayer arrives, let one of you give the call to prayer and let the eldest among you lead the prayer.’

It is also reported from ʿAmr ibn Salama al-Jarmī—on the authority of his father, who had come as his tribe’s envoy to the Prophet—that the Messenger of Allah said to him: ‘Pray such-and-such a prayer at such-and-such a time, and pray such-and-such a prayer at such-and-such a time. When the time for prayer comes, let one of you give the call to prayer, and let the one who knows the most Qur’an among you lead the prayer.’

Both narrations were recorded by al-Bukhari (2/87, 89, 239; 10/359; 13/198–199), Muslim (1/134), al-Nasa’i (2/105), Abu Dawud (101), al-Darimi (1/286), and Ahmad (3/436; 5/53) through the route of Abu Qilabah from Malik ibn al-Huwayrith; they are also cited by al-Tahạwi in Mushkil al-Athar (2/296).

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, also said: ‘No three people reside in a village where the call to prayer is not given and the congregational prayer is not established except that Satan gains mastery over them. Stick to the congregation, for the wolf devours the lone sheep.’

Ahmad related this ḥadīth (5/196; 6/446) through the isnad of Wakīʿ → Zāʾidah ibn Qudāmah → al-Sāʿib ibn Ḥubaysh al-Kalāʿī → Maʿdān ibn Abī Ṭalḥah al-Yaʿmarī, who said: ‘Abū al-Dardāʾ asked me, “Where do you live?” I replied, “In a village near Ḥimṣ.” He said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah say…”’ and then mentioned the above words. This chain is sound (ḥasan).

Abū Dāwud, al-Nasa’i, and Muslim also narrated it without the reference to the adhān; see our notes on al-Targhīb (1/156). Ahmad supplies an additional chain in his Musnad (6/445–446).