Sayyiduna Abu Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“The one who should lead the people in prayer is the one among them who recites the Qur’an the most. If they are equal in recitation of the Qur’an, then the one who knows the Sunnah of the Prophet more should lead. If they are equal in knowledge of the Sunnah, then the one who migrated earlier among them should lead, and if they are also equal in migration, then the oldest among them should lead.”This hadith is from Abu Mu’awiyah. In Shu’bah’s narration, the words are:“Their leadership in prayer should be by the one who recites Allah’s Book the most and is most knowledgeable, and the one who is foremost in recitation should lead.”In his narration, the words“the one who knows the Sunnah more should lead”are not present.

Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: "When there are three people, then one of them should lead them in prayer, and the one who has the most right to lead is the one who recites and knows the Qur'an the most among them."