Could a Visitor Lead the Host in Solah?

Could a Visitor Lead the Host in Solah?

The meaning of the Hadīth, “Whoever Visits a People Should Not Lead Them in Solah”

The Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) forbade a visitor or guest from leading locals in solah; instead one of the locals should lead the solah (Ref: the Hadith reported from Malik Ibn Al-Huwayrith in At-Tirmidzi and Abu Dawud. Imam At-Tirmidzi classified it Hasan or perhaps Hasan Sahih). This Hadith (is a 'Nas', as I believe) is not abided by in our Masjid when a guest of the Khatīb comes. The Khatīb invites the guest to lead solat, and the guest obliged it. In support of this, the Khatībs bring the Hadith which says that they Prophet (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) led solah in Makkah on the day of victory of Makkah, though he was a visitor or not local. I seek your guidance or advice accordingly.

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;

All the praise and Thanks is due to Allāh, the Lord of al-`ālameen. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam, is His Messenger

Many people took for granted on this issue of etiquette, but the Sunnah regarding is very clear and the scholars has verified about it.

Firstly: The hadīth from Mālik Ibn Al-Huwayrith (radiyallāhu`anhu) indicated that whoever visits a people should not lead them in solah; Let a man from among them lead them in solah.

Abu `Atiyyah who said: “Mālik Ibn Al-Huwayrith (radiyallāhu`anhu) used to come to us in our musalla and talk to us. The time for solah came one day and we said to him: ‘Go forward (to lead the solah).’ Mālik Ibn Al-Huwayrith (radiyallāhu`anhu) said: ‘Let one of you step forward, until I tell you why I will not go forward. I heard the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) say: “Whoever visits a people should not lead them in solah. Let a man from among them lead them in solah”.” [Narrated by At-Tirmidzi (356) and Abu Dawūd (596)]

Abu ‘Esa At-Tirmidzi (rahimahullāh) said: This is a sahīh hasan hadīth, which is to be followed according to the majority of scholars among the companions of the Prophet (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) and others. They said: The owner of the house is more entitled to lead the solah 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 solah. Based on the hadīth of Mālik Ibn Al-Huwayrith(radiyallāhu`anhu), Ishāq (rahimahullāh) was strict on this issue and said that no one should lead the owner of a house in solah, even if the owner of the house gives him permission. Ishāq said: Similarly in the masjid, no one should lead them in solah in the masjid if he is visiting them. Ishāq said: Let a man from among them lead them in solah. [Sunan At-Tirmidzi]. 

And Al-Albāni (rahimahullāh) also said of this hadīth is sahīh. 

Secondly: It is permissible for a visitor to lead the owner of the house in solah, if that is with his permission.

The evidence is a hadith from Abu Mas’ūd al-Ansāri (radiyallāhu`anhu) who said: The Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam)  said: “No man should lead another in solah in the place of his authority, or sit in his place of honour in his house, except with his permission (request).” [Narrated by Muslim (673)]

Imam An-Nawawi (rahimahullāh) said: “The words of the Prophet (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) “No man should lead another in prayer in the place of his authority” means what our companions and others have said, that the owner of the house or majlis, or the imam of the masjid, have more right to that than anyone else, even if the other man has more knowledge of Islam or Qur'ān or is more pious or better than him. The owner of a place has more right, so if he wants to lead the solah 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 solah 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.  

In relation to the words of the Prophet (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) “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.”

[Sharh Sahih Muslim] 

Al-Shawkāni (rahimahullāh), in his commenting on the hadīth of Mālik ibn al-Huwayrith (radiyallāhu`anhu) said: Most of the scholars are of the view that there is nothing wrong with a visitor leading the solah with permission from the owner of the place, because the Prophet (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) said in the hadīth from Abu Mas’ūd al-Ansāri (radiyallāhu’anhu): “except with his permission.” 

[Nayl al-Awtār, 3/170]

Another narration is from ‘Itbān Ibn Mālik (radiyallāhu`anhu), who said: “The Prophet (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) came to him in his house and said: ‘Where would you like me to perform solah for you in your house?’ I pointed out a spot to him, and the Prophet (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) said the Takbīr, and we lined up behind him, and he performed solah of two rak`ahs” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (424) and Muslim (33)]

Thirdly: The evidence that it is permissible for a traveller lead the residents in solah is indicated by the hadith from Abu Nadrah.

Abu Nadrah said: `Imrān Ibn Husayn (radiyallāhu`anhu) was asked about the Solah of a Traveller. `Imrān Ibn Husayn (radiyallāhu’anhu) said:

“I performed Hajj with the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) and he performed solah two rak`ahs (i.e Qasar Solah), and I performed Hajj with Abu Bakar As-Siddiq (radiyallāhu’anhu) and he performed two rak`ahs, and with `Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (radiyallāhu’anhu) and he performed two rak`ahs, and with `Uthmān bin `Affan (radiyallāhu`anhu)  for six or eight years of his caliphate and he performed solah two rak`ahs.”

[Narrated by At-Tirmidzi (545); Al-Albāni (rahimahullāh) said concerning this hadīth: it is sahīh li ghayrihi]

Imam Mālik (rahimahullāh) narrated when `Umar Ibn Al-Khattāb (radiyallāhu`anhu) came to Makkah, he led them in solah of two rak`ahs and `Umar (radiyallāhu’anhu) said: “O people of Makkah complete your solat, for we are travellers.” [Narrated in Al-Muwatta’ (349)]

It was also narrated by Abu Dawūd, 1229 and attributed to the Prophet (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam), but with a da’ief (weak) isnād. It was classified as da’ief by al-Albāni in Da’ief Abu Dawūd.

The hadīth of ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (radiyallāhu`anhu) quoted above is sufficient evidence that it is permissible for a traveller may lead residents in solah. The Prophet (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) used to perform qasar solah of two rak'ahs during his journey to perform the Hajj, and the people of Makkah used to solat behind him in Makkah, then they undoubtedly completed their solat to make them four rak'ahs.

And Al-Shawkāni (rahimahullāh) holds: The men in the isnād on report on `Umar’s is all thiqāt (trustworthy). [Nayl al-Awtār, 3/177]

 Conclusion.

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

A question was raised that how could it be reconcile between the hadīth which says “No man should lead another in solah in the place of his authority, or sit in his place of honour in his house, except with his permission” and the hadīth which says, “Whoever visits a people should not lead them in solah” 

Shaykh ibn Ibrāhīm (rahimahullāh) replied: “It is to be understood as referring to leading them in solah 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.”

[Fatāwa wa Rasā’il Al-Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Ibrāhīm, 2/285]

And Allāh Almighty Knows best.

[Via Islam Q&A (72234)]