2/66. Chapter:
Who Has More Right To Be Imam
Sunan Abi Dawud : 587
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 587
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ مِسْعَرِ بْنِ حَبِيبٍ الْجَرْمِيِّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ سَلِمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّهُمْ وَفَدُوا إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمَّا أَرَادُوا أَنْ يَنْصَرِفُوا قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ يَؤُمُّنَا قَالَ " أَكْثَرُكُمْ جَمْعًا لِلْقُرْآنِ " . أَوْ " أَخْذًا لِلْقُرْآنِ " . قَالَ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ جَمَعَ مَا جَمَعْتُهُ - قَالَ - فَقَدَّمُونِي وَأَنَا غُلاَمٌ وَعَلَىَّ شَمْلَةٌ لِي فَمَا شَهِدْتُ مَجْمَعًا مِنْ جَرْمٍ إِلاَّ كُنْتُ إِمَامَهُمْ وَكُنْتُ أُصَلِّي عَلَى جَنَائِزِهِمْ إِلَى يَوْمِي هَذَا . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَرَوَاهُ يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ عَنْ مِسْعَرِ بْنِ حَبِيبٍ الْجَرْمِيِّ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَلِمَةَ قَالَ لَمَّا وَفَدَ قَوْمِي إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَمْ يَقُلْ عَنْ أَبِيهِ .
‘Amr b. Salamah reported on the authority of his father (Salamah) that they visited the Prophet (ﷺ). When they intended to return, they said: Messenger of Allah, who will lead us in prayer? He said: The one of you who knows most of the Qur’an, or memorizes most of the Qur’an, (should act as your imam). There was none in the clan who knew more of the Qur’an than I did. They, therefore, put me in front of them and I was only a boy. And I wore a mantle, Whenever I was present in the gathering of Jarm (name of his clan), I would act as their Imam, and lead them in their funeral prayer until today. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by ‘Amr b. Salamah through a different chain of transmitter. This version has: “When my clan visited the Prophet( may peace be upon him) ....” He did not report it on the authority of his father.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 587In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 197English translation : Book 2, Hadith 587
