Shaykh al-Islām—may Allah sanctify his soul—said:

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If someone has already performed his obligatory prayer—as an imam, a follower, or alone—may he then lead that same prayer for others who are performing their obligatory prayer, as when an imam leads the prayer twice? There is a well-known disagreement on this issue, and three positions are reported from Ahmad:

The first: It is not permissible. This is the view preferred by many of his followers and is the position of Abū Hanīfah and Mālik.

The second: It is permissible without restriction. This is the view preferred by some of his followers, such as Shaykh Abū Muhammad al-Maqdisī, and is the position of al-Shāfi‘ī.

The second: It is permissible when there is a need, as in the prayer of fear.

The Shaykh said:

This is the view preferred by our grandfather Abū al-Barakāt, because the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, on some occasions led his Companions in the prayer of fear twice: he led one group and concluded with the salutation of peace, then led another group and concluded with the salutation of peace.