Sayyiduna Abu Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The people should be led in prayer by the one who knows the most Qur'an. If they are equal in the Qur'an, then the one who emigrated first. If they are equal in emigration, then the one with the most fiqh (understanding of the religion). And if they are equal in fiqh as well, then the one who is oldest in age." Imam Muslim recorded it, but did not mention the words 'afqahuhum fiqhan' (the one with the most understanding of the religion) in it, which is a rare addition with this sahih chain.

Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amr (Abu Mas'ud) (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The people should be led in prayer by the one who emigrated first. If they are equal in emigration, then the one with more understanding of the religion. If they are equal in the religion, then the one who is the better reciter of the Qur'an. No man should lead another in prayer in his domain (his house or place of authority), nor sit in his place of honour (his special seat) without his permission."

Sayyiduna al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No prophet passes away until he has prayed behind a (righteous) man from his people." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim, but they did not record it, while the two Shaykhs agreed on (the report of) the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) praying behind Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him).

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood for prayer, he would turn to his right and to his left and say: "Straighten up and align yourselves." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim, but they did not record it with this wording.

Sayyiduna Mihjan (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when the call to prayer was given. the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up, led the prayer and came back, while Mihjan remained sitting in his place. the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "What prevented you from praying with the people? Are you not a Muslim?" He said: "Of course, O Messenger of Allah! But I had already prayed with my family." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you come (to the mosque), pray with the people, even if you have already prayed."

A similar report is narrated from Sayyiduna Mihjan (may Allah be pleased with him). Imam al-Hakim says that this hadith is sahih (authentic), and Imam Malik bin Anas is the authority on the hadith of the people of Madinah. This is one of those reports in which the Companion has only one narrator, for which reason the two Shaykhs do not record it; but it has a corroborating report (shahid) with a sahih chain.

Jabir bin Yazid bin al-Aswad narrates from his father (Sayyiduna Yazid bin al-Aswad, may Allah be pleased with him): I prayed with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) at Mina. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) finished with the salam, he saw two men at the back of the people. He (peace and blessings be upon him) had them called and asked: "What prevented you from praying with the people?" They said: "O Messenger of Allah! We had already prayed in our camps (tents)." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not do that. When one of you has prayed in his camp and then finds the prayer (being held) with the imam, let him pray it with him as well; it will be a voluntary (nafl) prayer for him." This hadith is narrated from Ya'la bin Ata', and Imam Muslim used him as evidence. A large group, including Shu'bah and Hisham bin Hassan, narrated it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever hears the call to prayer (adhan) and does not come (to the mosque), there is no prayer for him (that is, it is not complete)." Imam al-Hakim says that Ghundar and most of Shu'bah's students narrated this hadith as mawquf (stopping at the Companion), but Hushaym and Qurad Abu Nuh narrated it as connected, and both of them are trustworthy, so their marfu' (attributed to the Prophet) narration is the one relied upon. This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs, but they did not record it.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever hears the call to prayer (adhan) and does not come (to the mosque), there is no prayer for him, except for a valid excuse." This is a corroborating report (shahid) for the previous hadith.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever hears the call to prayer and does not come, there is no prayer for him, except for a valid excuse."