2/66. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 583 — Respecting Prayer Authority
Who Has More Right To Be Imam
Hadith About Not Leading Someone in His Place of Authority
Sunan Abi Dawud : 583
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 583
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ مُعَاذٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ قَالَ فِيهِ " وَلاَ يَؤُمُّ الرَّجُلُ الرَّجُلَ فِي سُلْطَانِهِ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ كَذَا قَالَ يَحْيَى الْقَطَّانُ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ " أَقْدَمُهُمْ قِرَاءَةً " .
Shu’bah Narrated from:
The version of this tradition narrated through a different chain by Shu’bah has the words: “A man should not lead the another man in prayer. Abu Dawud said: Yahya al-Qattan narrated from Shu’bah in a similar way, i.e. the earliest of them in recitation.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 583In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 193English translation : Book 2, Hadith 583
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 583
This narration is a shorter version connected to the previous teaching about leading prayer. It highlights one key point: a man should not lead another man in prayer in his place of authority. The message is simple and practical. Congregational prayer has manners. Knowledge matters, but so does respect. If a person is in another man’s home, area, or place of responsibility, he should not push forward and lead without permission. This Hadith about prayer leadership helps protect good relations between Muslims. It stops the imam position from becoming a place of pride or disrespect. Even in worship, Muslims are taught to act with care, order, and humility.
What we learn from this hadith
- Do not take over leadership in another person’s place of authority.
- Prayer leadership should not be used to show pride.
- Permission matters when leading in someone else’s space.
- Good manners are part of congregational prayer.
