What is meant by the hadeeth, “Whoever visits a people should not lead them in prayer”

The Prophet Muhammad forbad a visitor/ guest from leading locals in prayers, instead one of the locals should lead the prayers (Ref Hadith reported from Malik ibn al-Huwayrith in Tirmizi and Abudawud. Imam Tirmizi classed it Hasan, or perhaps Hasan Sahih). This Hadith (a ‘Nas’, as I believe) is not abided by in our Mosques when a guest of the Khateeb comes. The Khateeb invites the guest to lead prayers, and the guest does so. In support of this, the Khateebs bring the Hadith which says that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) led prayers in Makkah on the day of victory of Makkah (though he was a visitor/ not local). I seek your guidence for education purpose and to guide/advise others accordingly.

Praise be to Allaah.

The hadeeth of Maalik ibn al-Huwayrith that is referred to here was narrated by al-Tirmidhi (356) and Abu Dawood (596) from Abu ‘Atiyyah who said: Maalik ibn al-Huwayrith used to come to us in our prayer place and talk to us. The time for prayer came one day and we said to him: “Go forward (to lead the prayer).” He said: “Let one of you go forward, until I tell you why I will not go forward. I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘Whoever visits a people should not lead them in prayer. Let a man from among them lead them in prayer.’”

Abu ‘Eesa al-Tirmidhi said: This is a saheeh hasan hadeeth, which is to be followed according to the majority of scholars among the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and others. They said: The owner of the house is more entitled to lead the prayer than a visitor.

Some of the scholars said: if the owner of the house gives permission, then it is acceptable for the visitor to lead the prayer.

Based on the hadeeth of Maalik ibn al-Huwayrith, Ishaaq was strict on this issue and said that no one should lead the owner of a house in prayer, even if the owner of the house gives him permission. He said: Similarly in the mosque, no one should lead them in prayer in the mosque if he is visiting them. He said: Let a man from among them lead them in prayer.
End quote from Sunan al-Tirmidhi.

Al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said of this hadeeth: It is saheeh apart from the story of Maalik. Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi.

There is evidence in the Sunnah that it is permissible for a visitor to lead the owner of the house in prayer, if that is with his permission. This is the report narrated by Muslim (673) from Abu Mas’ood al-Ansaari (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No man should lead another in prayer in the place of his authority, or sit in his place of honour in his house, except with his permission.”

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) “No man should lead another in prayer in the place of his authority” mean what our companions and others have said, that the owenr of the house or majlis, or the imam of the mosque, have more right to that than anyone else, even if the other man has more knowledge of Islam or Qur’aan or is more pious or better than him. The owner of a place has more right, so if he wants to lead the prayer he may do so, and if he wants to ask someone else to do that he may do so, even if the one whom he asks to lead the prayer is not as good as the rest of those who are present, because it is his place of authority and he may do whatever he likes.

With regard to the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) “sit in his place of honour in his house, except with his permission”, the scholars said: the place of honour refers to the rug etc that is just for the owner of the house.
End quote.

Al-Shawkaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, commenting on the hadeeth of Maalik ibn al-Huwayrith: Most of the scholars are of the view that there is nothing wrong with a visitor leading the prayer with permission from the owner of the place, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in the hadeeth of Abu Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him): “except with his permission.”

End quote from Nayl al-Awtaar, 3/170

The fact that a visitor may lead the owner of the house in prayer is also indicated by the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (424) and Muslim (33) from ‘Itbaan ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to him in his house and said: “Where would you like me to pray for you in your house.” I pointed out a spot to him, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said takbeer, and we lined up behind him, and he prayed two rak’ahs.

The fact that a traveller may lead residents in prayer is indicated by the report narrated by al-Tirmidhi (545) from Abu Nadrah who said: ‘Imraan ibn Husayn was asked about the prayer of a traveller. He said: I performed Hajj with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he prayed two rak’ahs, and I performed Hajj with Abu Bakr and he performed two rak’ahs, and with ‘Umar and he performed two rak’ahs, and with ‘Uthmaan for six or eight years of his caliphate and he prayed two rak’ahs. Al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said concerning this hadeeth: it is saheeh li ghayrihi.

Maalik narrated in al-Muwatta’ (349) that when ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) came to Makkah, he led them in praying two rak’ahs then he said: “O people of Makkah, complete your prayers, for we are travellers.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 1229 and attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), but with a da’eef (weak) isnaad. It was classed as da’eef by al-Albaani in Da’eef Abi Dawood. But the hadeeth of ‘Imraan ibn Husayn quoted above is sufficient. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray two rak’ahs during his journey to Hajj, and the people of Makkah used to pray behind him in Makkah, then they undoubtedly completed their prayers to make them four rak’ahs.

Al-Shawkaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The men in the isnaad of ‘Umar’s report are all thiqaat (trustworthy). End quote from Nayl al-Awtaar, 3/177

The conclusion we reach from all these ahaadeeth is that the owner of a house and the imam of a mosque are more entitled to lead the prayer than anyone else, but if they give permission to a visitor and traveller to lead the prayer, they have the right to do so.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: how can we reconcile between the hadeeth which says “No man should lead another in prayer in the place of his authority, or sit in his place of honour in his house, except with his permission” and the hadeeth which says, “Whoever visits a people should not lead them in prayer”?

He replied:

It is to be understood as referring to leading them in prayer without their permission, or they may be reconciled by noting that it is better not to do that even if he is given permission. The word permission indicates that this is allowed. End quote.

Fataawa wa Rasaa’il al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem, 2/285

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Question and Answer – What is meant by the hadeeth, “Whoever visits a people should not lead them in prayer

‘Umar said , ” Take account of your own selves (your deeds), before you will be taken to account. Weigh yourselves before you will be weighed. Indeed, if you hold yourselves accountable today, the accountability tomorrow will be easier upon you. And adorn yourselves for the greater display(day of judgment)

That Day you shall be brought to Judgement, not a secret of you will be hidden. (Al-Haqqah 69:18)

The first: The category of the oppressor to himself, the negligent one, one who is deficient in performing ablution for it, negligent with its appointed time periods, its boundaries and its pillars.

The second: One who preserves it appointed time periods, its boundaries, its outward pillars and ablution for it. However, he forsakes striving against his own self from whisperings and thinking to himself, and so is preoccupied with whisperings and thoughts.

The third: One who preserves its appointed time periods, its pillars as well as strives against himself in repelling whisperings and distracting thoughts that overcome him, he is busy in striving against his enemy in order to prevent him from stealing his prayer, he is in prayer as well as Jihaad.

The fourth: One whom when he stands for prayer perfects its rights, its pillars and its boundaries. His heart is occupied with preserving its boundaries and preventing anything of it being lost, rather all his attention is directed to performing it as it should be, in its most complete and perfect form, his heart is occupied with the prayer and worshiping his Lord the Elevated with it.

The fifth: One who performs the prayer like the previous person, but in addition to this, he has taken his heart and presented it to his Lord. He looks at his Lord with his heart, fully concerned with Him, in utmost obedience out of love and reverence for Him, it is as if he sees and witnesses his Lord. All distracting thoughts and whisperings fade away and the veil between him and his Lord is removed. The difference between this person in his prayer and others, is greater and better than all that is between the heavens and earth, he is fully occupied and overjoyed with his Lord in his prayer.

The first category is punished, the second is held accountable, the third is pardoned, the fourth is rewarded and the fifth is brought close to his Lord, because he gains a portion of what made the prayer a delight to him. For whoever is delighted with his prayer in the life of this world, will be delighted by being close to his Lord in the afterlife as well as being delighted with his Lord in this life, and whoever is delighted with Allaah, everything would be delighted with him, and whoever is not delighted with Allaah the Elevated, his soul will be torn apart for the life of this world in loss.

It is narrated that when a servant stands for prayer, Allaah the Glorified says; “Remove the veil.”, and if the servant turns away He says: “Replace it.”

This ‘turning away’ has been explained as the turning of the heart away from Allaah the Mighty to other than Him. So if he turns away, the veil is replaced between him and his Lord and Shaytaan enters and presents worldly affairs to him, he shows them to him in the image of a woman. But if he turns with his heart to Allaah and does not turn away, Shaytaan would not be able to come between Allaah and that heart, he only enters if the veil is replaced. If he returns to Allaah the Elevated with his heart, the Shaytaan would escape, and if he turns away, the Shaytaan would return, such is his state with his enemy in prayer.

Al Imaam Ibn Qayyim al Jawzeeyah

Beyond Guantanamo: Is This The End? | Anwar al-Awlaki

A Message to the Prisoners from the Prisoners by Imaam Anwar al-Awlaki. This is the lecture that was banned from public broadcast scheduled for the Annual Cageprisoners Iftar dinner 30/08/09 in the UK.

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“…Those who gave Bay’at ar-Ridwan beneath the tree at Hudaybiyah were 1,400 men. When was this? It was in Dhu al-Qi’dah 6 AH. When the treaty was solidified and Quraysh stood aside and held back from fighting the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم), only then did people begin entering Islam, as they had previously been afraid of Quraysh. So, Quraysh had a treaty with the Messenger of Allah and held back from fighting him, and waves of people saw this as their chance to become Muslims even if Quraysh didn’t like this. So, they became Muslims. Those who came did so 21 months after the Treaty of Hudaybiyah. What happened after this? The conquest of Makkah. Those who came to conquer Makkah with the Messenger were 10,000. This means that how many people had become Muslim in the time leading up to this? At least 8,500 or 8,600 in the two years of peace had decided to enter Islam.

Why? There are people in society who like you. However, they will not dare to help you if the government is angry with you. Isn’t this so?

Believe me, during the time that Egypt was unleashing its wrath on Sayyid Qutb and his family, nobody was able to lend them even a single dirham at a time when the women in the family could not even afford the cost of their weekly visits to Sayyid and Muhammad Qutb. They wouldn’t dare. I heard them saying: “The people have cut themselves off from us. We went to some people to borrow money from, our friends. They said “We don’t know you. Don’t come to us, and we won’t come to you.””

…So, as a da’i, if you stand up to the government, the only ones who will stand by you are those who are ready for death or some sort of sacrifice. True men are known in times of hardship. No da’i will stand by you unless he is willing to give up his family, children, wealth, and job…So, nobody will stand by you in harsh circumstances except true men, and they are few – men who live by their beliefs and have principles they stick to.

When the Messenger made the pact with Quraysh, over 8,500 became Muslim in the less than two years that followed. And when Quraysh was defeated in Ramadan of 8 AH and Hawazin was defeated after them in Shawwal of 8 AH, only then did the delegations begin coming to Hunayn from all corners of the Arabian Peninsula to enter Islam in waves: {“When the victory of Allah and the conquest comes, and you see the people enter Allah’s Religion in waves.”} [an-Nasr; 1-2]

So, during difficult circumstances in which you are confronting the massive jahiliyyah around you, don’t expect people to accept your call. None will accept it except those are are prepared to sacrifice everything they own, even their lives.

Quraysh and Hawazin were finished in the 8th year AH. Two years later, in the 10th year AH, the Prophet made Hajj along with 124,000 people. How many were there during the conquest of Makkah? There were 10,000. This means that in the two years between the two, there were 114,000 who became Muslim. However, the core of this society and its essence and foundation and nucleus was the mere thousand who participated at Uhud or the 1,400 who witnessed Bay’at ar-Ridwan. These, if they were to have been removed them from the picture, the entire society would’ve collapsed.

Because of this, the governments are smart when they fight Islam. They are very smart. They don’t come and kill everyone and have this held against them. Rather, they come and remove the five, six, or seven leaders who are the nucleus and essence and solid foundation and kill them off. While they only took out six, they really took out an entire ummah by taking out these six! {“Indeed, Ibrahim was a nation unto himself…”} [an-Nahl; 120]

And how often is one man equal to a thousand * And how often are a thousand men equal to none…”

['Fi Dhilal Surat at-Tawbah'; p. 50-54]

Name: at-Tayyib bin Isma’il bin Ibrahim adh-Dhuhali
Kunyah: Abu Muhammad and Abu Hamdun
Status: Successor (Tabi’i)
Location: Baghdad, Iraq

He was known as Abu Hamdun ad-Dallal. He was one of the well known recitors, and was known for his righteousness and abstinence from worldly pleasures.

He learned to recite from al-Kisa’i and Ya’qub al-Hadrami.

Abu al-’Abbas Ahmad bin Masruq narrated:

“I heard the recitor Abu Hamdun say: “I prayed at night one time, so I accidentally mispronounced a letter from the Qur’an. I lifted my eyes to see a light in front of me, saying to me: “Between you and Allah is me.”

So, I asked: “And who are you?”

It said: “I am the letter that you mispronounced.”

I said: “I will never do so again.”

So, I continued reciting, and I never mispronounced a letter after that again.”"

Abu Muhammad al-Hasan bin ‘Ali bin Sulayh narrated:

“Abu Hamdun at-Tayyib bin Isma’il lost his eyesight, so he had someone leading him into the masjid. When they entered the masjid, his assistant said to him: “Mister, take off your shoes now.”

So, Abu Hamdun asked: “O my son! Why should I take them off?”

He said: “Because there is some impurity on them.”

ٍSo, Abu Hamdun became distressed that he could bring filth from his shoes into the masjid, so, he raised his hands and supplicated, then Allah returned his eyesight to him, and he continued walking.”

Abu ‘Abdullah bin al-Khatib narrated:

“Abu Hamdun had a scroll on which was written the names of 300 of his close friends, and he used to supplicate for them – one by one – every single night. One night, he went to sleep without doing so. So, in his sleep, he heard a voice saying: “O Abu Hamdun, why did you not light your lamps this evening?” So, he woke up, and lit his lamp, and began supplicating for each and every name on the list until he completed it.”

And Abu al-Husayn bin al-Munadi narrated:

“Abu Hamdun at-Tayyib bin Isma’il adh-Dhuhali is from the best of the righteous who is well known for his recitation of the Qur’an. He used to purposely visit the areas where there was a lack of recitors for the people and teach them. When they had memorized from him, he would move on to a different area doing the same. He used to always pay special attention to the outcasts in the community. May Allah have Mercy upon him.”

He narrated hadith from al-Musayyib bin Shurayk, Sufyan bin ‘Uyaynah, and Shu’ayb bin Harb.