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Congregational Prayer and Its Virtue
وَ رَوَى دَاوُدُ بْنُ اَلْحُصَيْنِ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «لاَ يَؤُمُّ اَلْحَضَرِيُّ اَلْمُسَافِرَ وَ لاَ يَؤُمُّ اَلْمُسَافِرُ اَلْحَضَرِيَّ فَإِنِ اُبْتُلِيَ اَلرَّجُلُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَأَمَّ قَوْماً حَاضِرِينَ فَإِذَا أَتَمَّ اَلرَّكْعَتَيْنِ سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِيَدِ أَحَدِهِمْ فَقَدَّمَهُ فَأَمَّهُمْ فَإِذَا صَلَّى اَلْمُسَافِرُ خَلْفَ قَوْمٍ حُضُورٍ فَلْيُتِمَّ صَلاَتَهُ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَ يُسَلِّمُ.
Dawud ibn Al-Hussain narrated that the Imam (a.s) said: "A resident (non-traveler) should not lead a traveler, nor should a traveler lead a resident. If a man finds himself in a situation where he must lead a congregation of residents and completes two rak'ahs, he should then offer the taslim (salutation of peace), take the hand of one of the residents, and place him to lead the rest. When a traveler prays behind a group of residents, he should complete his prayer with two rak'ahs and then offer the taslim."
وَ قَدْ رُوِيَ: «أَنَّهُ إِنْ خَافَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ مِنْ أَجْلِ مَنْ يُصَلِّي مَعَهُ صَلَّى اَلرَّكْعَتَيْنِ اَلْأَخِيرَتَيْنِ وَ جَعَلَهُمَا تَطَوُّعاً.
It has been narrated: "If a person fears for himself due to those praying with him, he should pray the last two rak'ahs and make them voluntary (nafl) prayers”.
وَ قَدْ رُوِيَ: «أَنَّهُ إِنْ كَانَ فِي صَلاَةِ اَلظُّهْرِ جَعَلَ اَلْأَوَّلَتَيْنِ فَرِيضَةً وَ اَلْأَخِيرَتَيْنِ نَافِلَةً وَ إِنْ كَانَ فِي صَلاَةِ اَلْعَصْرِ جَعَلَ اَلْأَوَّلَتَيْنِ نَافِلَةً وَ اَلْأَخِيرَتَيْنِ فَرِيضَةً.
It has been narrated: "If it is during the Dhuhr prayer, he should make the first two rak'ahs obligatory and the last two rak'ahs voluntary. If it is during the Asr prayer, he should make the first two rak'ahs voluntary and the last two rak'ahs obligatory."
وَ قَدْ رُوِيَ: «أَنَّهُ إِنْ كَانَ فِي صَلاَةِ اَلظُّهْرِ جَعَلَ اَلْأَوَّلَتَيْنِ اَلظُّهْرَ وَ اَلْأَخِيرَتَيْنِ اَلْعَصْرَ.
It has been narrated: "If it is during the Dhuhr prayer, he should make the first two rak'ahs for Dhuhr and the last two rak'ahs for Asr."
وَ رَوَى عَبْدُ اَللَّهِ بْنُ اَلْمُغِيرَةِ قَالَ كَانَ مَنْصُورُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ يَقُولُ: «إِذَا أَتَيْتَ اَلْإِمَامَ وَ هُوَ جَالِسٌ قَدْ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ فَكَبِّرْ ثُمَّ اِجْلِسْ فَإِذَا قُمْتَ فَكَبِّرْ.
Abdullah ibn al-Mughira narrated that Mansur ibn Hazim used to say: "If you come to the Imam and he is sitting, having already prayed two rak'ahs, say the takbir (Allahu Akbar) and then sit. When you stand up, say the takbir again."
وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «يُجْزِيكَ مِنَ اَلْقِرَاءَةِ إِذَا كُنْتَ مَعَهُمْ مِثْلُ حَدِيثِ اَلنَّفْسِ.
Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) said: "It is sufficient for you to recite like a whisper to yourself when you are with them (in congregation)."
وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ: «مَنْ صَلَّى بِقَوْمٍ فَاخْتَصَّ نَفْسَهُ بِالدُّعَاءِ دُونَهُمْ فَقَدْ خَانَهُمْ.
The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Whoever leads a group in prayer and reserves the supplication for himself, excluding them, has betrayed them”.
وَ رَوَى أَبُو بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: «لاَ تُسْمِعَنَّ اَلْإِمَامَ دُعَاكَ خَلْفَهُ.
Abu Basir narrated from one of the Imams (a.s) who said: "Do not let the Imam hear your supplication behind him”.
وَ قَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ أَبِي سَمَّالٍ قَالَ: صَلَّيْتُ خَلْفَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ اَلْفَجْرَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ قِرَاءَتِهِ فِي اَلثَّانِيَةِ جَهَرَ بِصَوْتِهِ نَحْواً مِمَّا كَانَ يَقْرَأُ وَقَالَ « اَللَّهُمَّ اِغْفِرْ لَنَا وَ اِرْحَمْنَا وَ عَافِنَا وَ اُعْفُ عَنَّا فِي اَلدُّنْيَا وَ اَلْآخِرَةِ «إِنَّكَ عَلىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ».
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Samal who said: "I prayed behind Abu Abdullah (a.s) for Fajr (dawn prayer). When he finished the recitation in the second rak'ah, he raised his voice slightly as if reciting and said: Allahumma ighfir lana wa irhamna wa ‘afina wa ‘u‘fu ‘anna fi ad-dunya wa al-akhirah. Innaka ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer 'O’ Allah (swt), forgive us, have mercy on us, grant us well-being, and pardon us in this world and the Hereafter. Truly, You have power over all things.'".
وَ رَوَى حَفْصُ بْنُ اَلْبَخْتَرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: «يَنْبَغِي لِلْإِمَامِ أَنْ يَجْلِسَ حَتَّى يُتِمَّ مَنْ خَلْفَهُ صَلاَتَهُمْ وَ يَنْبَغِي لِلْإِمَامِ أَنْ يُسْمِعَ مَنْ خَلْفَهُ اَلتَّشَهُّدَ وَ لاَ يُسْمِعُونَهُ هُمْ شَيْئاً يَعْنِي اَلشَّهَادَتَيْنِ وَ يُسْمِعَهُمْ أَيْضاً اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَ عَلَى عِبَادِ اَللَّهِ اَلصَّالِحِينَ.
Hafs ibn al-Bakhtari narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) who said: "It is appropriate for the Imam to sit until those behind him complete their prayers. The Imam should also recite the tashahhud (testimony of faith) loud enough for those behind him to hear, but they should not make their recitation audible to him—referring to the two testimonies (Shahadatayn). He should also audibly recite 'Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah (swt).'"
