4/37. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 467a — Shorten Prayer When Leading
The Command To The Imam To Make The Prayer Brief But Complete
Hadith About Shortening Prayer When Leading People
Sahih Muslim : 467a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 467a
وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُغِيرَةُ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْحِزَامِيُّ - عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا أَمَّ أَحَدُكُمُ النَّاسَ فَلْيُخَفِّفْ فَإِنَّ فِيهِمُ الصَّغِيرَ وَالْكَبِيرَ وَالضَّعِيفَ وَالْمَرِيضَ فَإِذَا صَلَّى وَحْدَهُ فَلْيُصَلِّ كَيْفَ شَاءَ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) said: When any one of you leads the people in prayer, he should be brief for among them are the young and the aged, the weak and the sick. But when one of you prays by himself, he may (prolong) as he likes.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 467aIn-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 208USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 942
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 467a
This hadith about shortening prayer when leading people gives a clear rule from the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Abu Huraira reported that when one of you leads people in prayer, he should be brief, because among them are the young, the aged, the weak, and the sick. But when a person prays alone, he may pray as he likes. The hadith makes a helpful difference between private prayer and leading others. Alone, a person has more freedom to lengthen prayer. As an imam, he must think about the people behind him. This is one of the clearest hadiths for searches like imam should shorten prayer and congregational prayer ease in Islam.
What we learn from this hadith
- An imam should keep prayer brief when leading people.
- The congregation may include the young, aged, weak, and sick.
- A person praying alone may lengthen prayer as he likes.
- Prayer leadership requires care for others, not only personal preference.
