Who Is an Undesirable Leader in Salah (prayer)? Can a Slave Lead Salah (prayer)? Who Is Most Rightful to Lead Salah (prayer)

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص‌ لَا يَؤُمُّ الْمُقَيَّدُ الْمُطْلَقِينَ وَ لَا يَؤُمُّ صَاحِبُ الْفَالِجِ الْأَصِحَّاءَ وَ لَا صَاحِبُ التَّيَمُّمِ الْمُتَوَضِّينَ وَ لَا يَؤُمُّ الْأَعْمَى فِي الصَّحْرَاءِ إِلَّا أَنْ يُوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْقِبْلَةِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin said, ‘One bonded cannot lead in Salah (prayer) those who are free, one paralyzed cannot lead those in good health, one with Tayammum cannot lead those with Wudu’, a blind cannot lead others in the wilderness unless directed to al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah).’”

فِي رَجُلَيْنِ اخْتَلَفَا فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا كُنْتُ إِمَامَكَ وَ قَالَ الْآخَرُ أَنَا كُنْتُ إِمَامَكَ فَقَالَ‌[2] صَلَاتُهُمَا تَامَّةٌ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ قَالَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا كُنْتُ أَئْتَمُّ بِكَ قَالَ صَلَاتُهُمَا فَاسِدَةٌ وَ لْيَسْتَأْنِفَا.

“If two people disagree and one says, ‘I was your Imam’ and the other says, ‘I was your Imam’ he (the Imam) said, ‘Both persons’ Salah (prayer) is complete.’ I (the narrator) then asked, ‘What happens if each one says, ‘I followed you.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Both persons’ Salah (prayer) is invalid. They must perform it

قُلْتُ لَهُ الصَّلَاةُ خَلْفَ الْعَبْدِ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ إِذَا كَانَ فَقِيهاً وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ هُنَاكَ أَفْقَهُ مِنْهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ أُصَلِّي خَلْفَ الْأَعْمَى قَالَ نَعَمْ إِذَا كَانَ لَهُ مَنْ يُسَدِّدُهُ وَ كَانَ‌ أَفْضَلَهُمْ قَالَ وَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع لَا يُصَلِّيَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ خَلْفَ الْمَجْذُومِ وَ الْأَبْرَصِ وَ الْمَجْنُونِ وَ الْمَحْدُودِ وَ وَلَدِ الزِّنَا وَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ لَا يَؤُمُّ ا

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about performing Salah (prayer) behind a slave. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not an offense if he has good understanding of fiqh (Islamic laws) and there is no one ex

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْقَوْمِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا يَجْتَمِعُونَ فَتَحْضُرُ الصَّلَاةُ فَيَقُولُ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ تَقَدَّمْ يَا فُلَانُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ يَتَقَدَّمُ الْقَوْمَ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِلْقُرْآنِ فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ سَوَاءً فَأَقْدَمُهُمْ هِجْرَةً فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْهِجْرَةِ سَوَاءً فَأَكْبَرُهُمْ سِنّاً فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي السِّنِّ سَوَاءً فَلْيَؤُمَّهُمْ أَعْل

‘The Messenger of Allah has said that the most learned in al-Quran is to lead. If all of them are equally learned in al-Quran, the first to migrate among them, if all are equal in migration, then the oldest among them, if all are equal in age, then the most learned among them in the Sunnah and most learned in religion

لَا بَأْسَ بِالْغُلَامِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَبْلُغِ الْحُلُمَ أَنْ يَؤُمَّ الْقَوْمَ وَ أَنْ يُؤَذِّنَ.

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not an offense if a young boy, who has not become an adult, leads a people and says Adhan.”’ (Ahadith 1-6 and the following chapters are best explained in the form of fatwa.)