{"collection":"Islam","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/isl/hadith/had11.htm","path":"isl/hadith/had11.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/isl/hadith/had11.htm","text":"Im\u0101m is literally one who is imitated or whose example is followed from i'tamma bi-h\u012b, he followed or imitated him. It generally means a head or a chief or a leader whether he follows the right way or not. In relation to congregational prayers, the im\u0101m is the person who leads the prayer. Abraham is spoken of as having been made an im\u0101m because he fulfilled the Divine commandments--and every im\u0101m should try to follow his example; and an unjust person did not deserve to be made a leader--even though he may be of high parentage (v. 1).\nThat the man who leads the prayers is called an im\u0101m shows that he should be one occupying the highest place of honour in his community on account of his righteousness. While alive, the Holy Prophet himself acted as im\u0101m; and when he was unable during his last illness to perform that function, he ordered that Ab\u016b Bakr should act as im\u0101m (h. 1).\nThe honour of acting as an im\u0101m should be conferred upon the man who occupies the highest place of honour in a community (h. 1): it is further laid down that the man having the greatest knowledge of the Qur'\u0101n should be chosen as im\u0101m (hh. 2, 3), even though he be a slave (h. 4). He should not be paid any remuneration for leading prayers (H. vi:12), It is not, however, prohibited to say prayers behind an im\u0101m who is either a usurper (h. 5) or an unrighteous person (b. 6). A blind man is not unfit to lead the prayers (h. 7), nor is a woman (h. 8). The im\u0101m should have regard for the weak and the sick among those who follow him (h. 9). Those who follow the im\u0101m shall not anticipate him in any movement (h. 10). When a person joins the congregational service, he should start his prayer where he finds the im\u0101m (h. 11). The position which the im\u0101m occupies in relation to the congregation is explained in hh. 12-14. There is no harm if a wall intervenes between the im\u0101m and the congregation (b. 15).\n1 Ab\u016b M\u016bs\u0101 said, The Prophet, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, fell ill and his illness became severe; so he said:\n\"Tell Ab\u016b Bakr that he should lead the prayer for the people.\"1 ... So the messenger came to him, and he (Ab\u016b Bakr) led the prayer for the people in the lifetime of the Prophet, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him.\n(B. 10:46.)\n2 Ab\u016b Mas'\u016bd said, The Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, said\n\"The man who knows most the Book of All\u0101h shall act as im\u0101m of a people;2 and if there are persons equal in their knowledge of the Qur'\u0101n, then he who has greater knowledge of\n1. While alive, the Holy Prophet himself acted as im\u0101m and led the prayers. During his last illness he became too weak to leave his bed and to go out to pray in congregation; so he directed that Ab\u016b Bakr should lead the prayers. This Had\u012bth, along with the Holy Prophet's practice, is conclusive proof that the man who held the highest place of honour in the community on account of his righteousness acted as im\u0101m, for after the Holy Prophet Ab\u016b Bakr was admittedly the most excellent of his followers.\n2. Evidently what is meant is excellence in knowledge of the Holy Qur'\u0101n. not merely its recitation.\nthe Sunnah; and if they are equal in their knowledge of the Sunnah, then he who is first in hijrah; 3 and if they are equal in hijrah, then he who is older in years; and a man shall not lead another in prayer in the place where he (the latter) is in authority,4 and no one shall occupy the place of honour in another man's house except with his permission.\n(M-Msh. 4:26.)\n3 Ibn 'Abb\u0101s said, The Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, said:\n\"The most virtuous among you shall deliver the adh\u0101n, and those having most knowledge of the Qur'\u0101n shall act as imams.\"5\n(AD-Msh 4:26.)\n4 Ibn 'Umar said, When the first emigrants\n3. Precedence in hijrah was an indication of precedence in sacrifices for Isl\u0101m.\n4. Thus the master of the house or the im\u0101m of a particular mosque has a greater right to lead the prayers there than a mere visitor.\n5. The mu'adhdhin and the im\u0101m, the two office-bearers of the mosque, are thus to be chosen for their moral excellence and knowledge of the Qur'\u0101n.\ncame to 'Usbah, a place in Qub\u0101', before the coming of the Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, the slave of Abu Hudhaifah, used to act as their im\u0101m, and he had the greatest knowledge of the Qur'\u0101n.6\n(B. 10: 54)\n5 'Ubaid All\u0101h reported that He entered upon 'Uthm\u0101n ibn 'Aff\u0101n and he was then besieged (by the rebels). He said, Thou art the im\u0101m of the people and to thee has happened what thou seest, and the rebel im\u0101m leads our prayers and we consider this to be a sin. He said, Prayer is the best of things which people do; so when people do a good work, do thou also do the good with them, and when they do evil, do thou shun their evil.\n(B. 10:56.)\n6. A slave became the im\u0101m because he excelled others in knowledge.\n6 Ab\u016b Hurairah said, The Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, said:\n\"Jih\u0101d is incumbent on you under every commander whether he is virtuous or wicked, even though he be guilty of heinous sins and prayer is incumbent on you behind every Muslim whether he is virtuous or wicked, even though he be guilty of heinous sins;7 and the holding of a (funeral) service on every Muslim is incumbent whether he is virtuous or wicked, even though he be guilty of heinous sins.\"\n(AD-Msh. 4:26)\n7 Anas reported that The Prophet, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, left Ibn Umm Makt\u016bm after him to act as im\u0101m of the people, and he\n7. No one can be chosen as im\u0101m for carrying on jih\u0101d or for leading prayers unless he possesses the requisite qualifications. and, therefore, a man who is guilty of heinous sins cannot be chosen for either purpose. But if such a p. 115 man is chosen by mistake or if he commits such a sin after he has been chosen, he must be followed so long as he is not removed from that office, as no organization can be maintained otherwise.\nwas a blind man.\n(AD. 2:64.)\n8 It is reported about Umm Waraqah who had learned the Qur'\u0101n by heart that The Prophet, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, commanded her that she should act as im\u0101m of the people of her house, and she had a mu'adhdhin and she used to act as im\u0101m of the people of her house.8\n(Ah. VI, 405)\n9 Ab\u016b Hurairah reported that The Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, said:\n\"When one of you leads the prayer for the people, he should lighten it, for among them is the weak one and the sick one and the old one; and when one\n8. This shows that a woman may act as im\u0101m. There is nothing to show that there were no males among the people of her house; on the other hand. it is clearly stated that she had a mu'adhdhin who was evidently a male.\nof you prays alone, he may lengthen (it) as he likes.\"\n(B. 10:62.)\n10 Bar\u0101' said,\nIt was the practice that when the Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, said sami' All\u0101hu li-man hamidah\u016b, none of us bent down his back (for falling down in prostration) until the Prophet, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, fell down in prostration, and then we fell down in prostration after him.\"\n(B. 10:52.)\n11 Ab\u016b Hurairah said,\n\"When you come to prayer, and we have fallen down in prostration, fall down in prostration and do not count it as anything, and whoever joins in one rak'ah joins the prayers.\"9\n(AD-Msh. 4:28.)\n9. If a man joins the congregational service in sajdah, it should not be counted as a rak'ah, from which it follows that if he joins it in ruk\u016b', it shall be counted as a rak'ah.\n12 Samurah said,\nThe Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, commanded us that when we were three, one of us should stand in the front.\n(Tr-Msh. 4:25.)\n13 Ab\u016b Hurairah said,\n\"Keep the im\u0101m in the middle and close the openings.\"10\n(AD-Msh. 4:24.)\n14 Ibn 'Abb\u0101s said,\nI said my prayers with the Prophet, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, on a certain night and 1 stood on his left, and the Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, took hold of my head from, behind me and placed me on his right\n10. Hh. 12, 13 give the position of the im\u0101m. He should stand in the front, forming a row by himself, and he should also be in the middle, so that the rows behind him should have an equal number of men on his right and left.\nhand, then he said prayers.11\n(B. 10:77.)\n15 '\u0100'ishah said,\nThe Messenger of All\u0101h, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, used to say his prayers at night in his enclosure, and the wall of the enclosure was low, so the people saw the person of the Prophet, peace and blessings of All\u0101h be on him, (standing in prayers), and some people got up and followed him in his prayers.12\n(B. 10:80)\n11. If there are only two men in a congregational service, they should stand in the same row. the im\u0101m standing on the left. If, however, a third man joins later, either the im\u0101m should go forward and stand in front, or the first follower should step behind, forming with the new-comer a row behind the im\u0101m.\n12. This was the Holy Prophet's tahajjud prayer in the mosque during Ramadz\u0101n. The enclosure was made of mats. The had\u012bth shows that there is harm if anything intervenes between the im\u0101m and the congregation.","title":"A Manual of Hadith: Chapter VIII: The Im\u0101m","type":"page"}