Sayyiduna Malik bin Huwairith (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: We came to the service of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). We were young men, and our ages were close to each other. We stayed with him for twenty days. The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was very kind and gentle by nature. He realized that now it was becoming difficult for us to stay away from our homes. He asked us about what we had left behind in our homes. We informed him, so he said: "Now you people return to your homes and stay there. Teach them (your people), treat them well, and perform the prayer as you have seen me performing it. When the time for prayer comes, let one of you give the call to prayer (adhan), and the eldest among you should lead the prayer."

The same narration is also transmitted with another chain from Sayyiduna Malik bin Huwairith on the authority of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), however, in it are these words: "Perform the prayer in the same manner as you have seen me performing the prayer."

Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this statement of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "When three people are together, then one of them should lead them in prayer (i.e., they should perform the prayer in congregation), and the one most deserving to lead is the one who recites (the Qur'an) best (or is the memorizer of more verses)."