كتاب إقامة الصلاة والسنة فيها
5  
Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them
(46)
Chapter: Who is most deserving of leading the Prayer
(46)
باب مَنْ أَحَقُّ بِالإِمَامَةِ
Sunan Ibn Majah 980
Abu Mas’ud said:
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘The people should be lead by the one who is most well-Versed in recitation of the Book of Allah. If they are equal in recitation, then they should be led by the one who emigrated first. If they are equal in emigration, then they should be led by the eldest. A man should not be led among his family or in his place of authority; no one should be sat in his place of honor in his house without permission, or without his permission.’”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ رَجَاءٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَوْسَ بْنَ ضَمْعَجٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا مَسْعُودٍ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ‏ "‏ يَؤُمُّ الْقَوْمَ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ، فَإِنْ كَانَتْ قِرَاءَتُهُمْ سَوَاءً، فَلْيَؤُمَّهُمْ أَقْدَمُهُمْ هِجْرَةً، فَإِنْ كَانَتِ الْهِجْرَةُ سَوَاءً، فَلْيَؤُمَّهُمْ أَكْبَرُهُمْ سِنًّا، وَلاَ يُؤَمَّ الرَّجُلُ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَلاَ فِي سُلْطَانِهِ، وَلاَ يُجْلَسْ عَلَى تَكْرِمَتِهِ فِي بَيْتِهِ، إِلاَّ بِإِذْنٍ، أَوْ بِإِذْنِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏
Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 980
In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 178
English translation : Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 980