Al-Kāfi - Volume 3


Book 4, Chapter 50

Performing Salah (prayer) behind one Who Is not Qualified to Lead Others
7 Aḥadīth

1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الْعَطَّارُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) أَكُونُ مَعَ الإِمَامِ فَأَفْرُغُ مِنَ الْقِرَاءَةِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَفْرُغَ قَالَ أَبْقِ آيَةً وَمَجِّدِ الله وَأَثْنِ عَلَيْهِ فَإِذَا فَرَغَ فَاقْرَأِ الآيَةَ وَارْكَعْ.


1. Muhammad ibn Yahya al-‘ Attar has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from Zurarah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ’Abd Allah (a.s), ’In Salah (prayer) with an Imam I complete the recitation before he does.’ He (the Imam) said, ’Leave one verse, speak of the glory of Allah and praise Him and when he (the Imam) completes, read that verse, then perform Ruku’ (bowing down on one’s knees).”’

2ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْحَجَّالِ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) عَنِ الصَّلاَةِ خَلْفَ الْمُخَالِفِينَ فَقَالَ مَا هُمْ عِنْدِي إِلاَّ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْجُدُرِ.


2. It is a narration from him (narrator of previous Hadith) by Ahmad from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad al-Hajjal from Tha’labah from Zurarah who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja’far (a.s), about performing Salah (prayer) behind those who oppose our belief. He (the Imam) said, ‘To me they are but walls (scarecrows).”’

3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَمَّنْ سَأَلَ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ أُصَلِّي خَلْفَ مَنْ لاَ أَقْتَدِي بِهِ فَإِذَا فَرَغْتُ مِنْ قِرَاءَتِي وَلَمْ يَفْرُغْ هُوَ قَالَ فَسَبِّحْ حَتَّى يَفْرُغَ.


3. Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar from the one who has asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s), has said the following: I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s), ‘Can I perform Salah (prayer) behind one whom I do not follow and complete recitation when he has not yet completed?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Say Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects) until he completes.’”

4ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ خَلْفَ إِمَامٍ لاَ تَقْتَدِي بِهِ فَاقْرَأْ خَلْفَهُ سَمِعْتَ قِرَاءَتَهُ أَوْ لَمْ تَسْمَعْ.


4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthaman from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s), has said, ‘When you perform Salah (prayer) behind an Imam who is not qualified, read behind him the recitation, regardless, you hear him or not.’”

5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنْ أَبِي عَلِيِّ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) إِنَّ مَوَالِيَكَ قَدِ اخْتَلَفُوا فَأُصَلِّي خَلْفَهُمْ جَمِيعاً فَقَالَ لاَ تُصَلِّ إِلاَّ خَلْفَ مَنْ تَثِقُ بِدِينِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَلِي مَوَالٍ فَقُلْتُ أَصْحَابٌ فَقَالَ مُبَادِراً قَبْلَ أَنْ أَسْتَتِمَّ ذِكْرَهُمْ لاَ يَأْمُرُكَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ حَدِيدٍ بِهَذَا أَوْ هَذَا مِمَّا يَأْمُرُكَ بِهِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ حَدِيدٍ فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ.


5. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn Mahziyar from Ali ibn Rashid who has said the following: “I said to abu Ja‘far (a.s), ‘You have different friends, thus, I perform Salah (prayer) behind every one of them.’ The Imam said, ‘Do not perform Salah (prayer) behind anyone whom you cannot trust in matters of his religion.’ He then said, ‘I have many friends.’ I said, ‘You have many companions.’ He then immediately, before I could mention their names, said, ‘No, (do not mention their names). Ali ibn Hadid requires you to do this. Is this what Ali ibn Hadid commands you to do?’ I replied, ‘Yes, that is correct.’”

6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) إِنَّ أُنَاساً رَوَوْا عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) أَنَّهُ صَلَّى أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ بَعْدَ الْجُمُعَةِ لَمْ يَفْصِلْ بَيْنَهُنَّ بِتَسْلِيمٍ فَقَالَ يَا زُرَارَةُ إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) صَلَّى خَلْفَ فَاسِقٍ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ وَانْصَرَفَ قَامَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَصَلَّى أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ لَمْ يَفْصِلْ بَيْنَهُنَّ بِتَسْلِيمٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ يَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ صَلَّيْتَ أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ لَمْ تَفْصِلْ بَيْنَهُنَّ فَقَالَ إِنَّهَا أَرْبَعُ رَكَعَاتٍ مُشَبَّهَاتٍ وَسَكَتَ فَوَ الله مَا عَقَلَ مَا قَالَ لَهُ.


6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja’far (a.s), ‘Certain people have narrated that ’Amir al-Mu’minin performed four Rak‘at after Friday without any interval of saying Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) in between. He (the Imam) said, ‘O Zurarah, ’Amir al-Mu’minin performed Salah (prayer) behind a sinful one. When he said Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) and moved away ’Amir al-Mu’minin stood up, performed four Rak‘at without interval in between by means of saying Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace). A man from his side then said, ‘O abu al- Hassan you performed four Rak‘at without interval in between.’ He (’Amir al-Mu’minin)) said, ‘They were four similar Rak‘at’ and remained quiet. By Allah, he did not understand what he said.’”

7ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَدِيدٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنْ حُمْرَانَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّا نُصَلِّي مَعَ هَؤُلاَءِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ فِي الْوَقْتِ فَكَيْفَ نَصْنَعُ فَقَالَ صَلُّوا مَعَهُمْ فَخَرَجَ حُمْرَانُ إِلَى زُرَارَةَ فَقَالَ لَهُ قَدْ أُمِرْنَا أَنْ نُصَلِّيَ مَعَهُمْ بِصَلاَتِهِمْ فَقَالَ زُرَارَةُ مَا يَكُونُ هَذَا إِلاَّ بِتَأْوِيلٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ حُمْرَانُ قُمْ حَتَّى تَسْمَعَ مِنْهُ قَالَ فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ زُرَارَةُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّ حُمْرَانَ زَعَمَ أَنَّكَ أَمَرْتَنَا أَنْ نُصَلِّيَ مَعَهُمْ فَأَنْكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ لَنَا كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) يُصَلِّي مَعَهُمُ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ فَإِذَا فَرَغُوا قَامَ فَأَضَافَ إِلَيْهِمَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ.


7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn Hadid from Jamil ibn Darraj from Humran ibn ’A‘yan who has said the following: “I once said to Abu Ja‘far (a.s), ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, we perform Salah (prayer) with these people on Friday and they perform in a certain time. What must we do? He (the Imam) said, ‘Perform Salah (prayer) with them? Humran then went to Zurarah and said to him, ‘We are commanded to perform Salah (prayer) with them with their Salah (prayer)? Zurarah said, ‘This cannot be accepted without interpretation? Humran said to him, ‘Come and hear it from him (the Imam)? He (the narrator) has said that both went to him (the Imam) and Zurarah said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, Humran thinks you have commanded us to perform Salah (prayer) with them and I did not accept it? He (the Imam) said to us, ‘Ali ibn al- Husayn (a.s), would say two Rak‘at with them and when they would complete he stand up to perform two more Rak‘at?” (Ahadith 1-7 are best explained by fatwa.)