Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sunan an-Nasa'i, which contains 5,768 hadiths across 52 books. It is hadith number 769 in the Book of The Book of the Qiblah.

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

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#768

#769

Sunan an-Nasa'i

#770

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Sunan an-Nasa'i #769

Q: What is Sunan an-Nasa'i 769 about?

This hadith from Sunan an-Nasa'i (Book of The Book of the Qiblah), narrated by It was narrated that 'Amr bin Salamah said:, states: ""When my people came back from the Prophet (ﷺ)they said that he had said: 'Let the one who recites the Quran most lead you in prayer.' So they called me and taught me how to bow and prostrate, and I…"

The Book of the Qiblah

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عَاصِمٌ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَلِمَةَ، قَالَ لَمَّا رَجَعَ قَوْمِي مِنْ عِنْدِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالُوا إِنَّهُ قَالَ ‏ "‏ لِيَؤُمَّكُمْ أَكْثَرُكُمْ قِرَاءَةً لِلْقُرْآنِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَدَعَوْنِي فَعَلَّمُونِي الرُّكُوعَ وَالسُّجُودَ فَكُنْتُ أُصَلِّي بِهِمْ وَكَانَتْ عَلَىَّ بُرْدَةٌ مَفْتُوقَةٌ فَكَانُوا يَقُولُونَ لأَبِي أَلاَ تُغَطِّي عَنَّا اسْتَ ابْنِكَ ‏.‏

"When my people came back from the Prophet (ﷺ)they said that he had said: 'Let the one who recites the Quran most lead you in prayer.' So they called me and taught me how to bow and prostrate, and I used to lead them in prayer, wearing a torn cloak, and they used to say to my father: 'Will you not conceal your son's backside from us?"'

Narrated by It was narrated that 'Amr bin Salamah said:

Context

In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) instructs that the person who has the most knowledge of the Quran should lead the prayer. This reflects the value placed on knowledge and the importance of having qualified individuals in leadership roles within the community. The takeaway is that expertise and knowledge should guide leadership in spiritual matters.

Modern Application

Today, this principle can be applied by encouraging individuals to deepen their understanding of religious texts and to take on leadership roles in community prayers based on their knowledge. This fosters a culture of learning and respect for knowledgeable individuals in religious practices.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Prayer and Prophetic Conduct because it highlights the importance of knowledge in leading prayers and reflects the Prophet's guidance on appropriate conduct in spiritual leadership.

Prayer Prophetic Conduct