Sulama daughter of al-Hurr reported God’s Messenger as saying, "One of the signs of the last hour will be that people in a mosque will refuse to act as imam and will not find an imam to lead them in prayer.”Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying,“Jihad is a necessary duty for you along with any commander, pious or impious, even if he commits heinous sins; prayer is a necessary duty for you behind any Muslim, pious or impious, even if he commits heinous sins; and prayer is a necessary duty for every Muslim, pious or impious, even if he commits heinous sins.”Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Amr b. Salima said:We lived by water which people passed. Riders would pass by us and we would ask them, "What has happened to the people? What has happened to the people? What is this man like?”and they would reply, "He asserts that God has sent him, has made a revelation to him, has made a revelation to him to this effect.”I was remembering those words with the result that they seemed to be glued in my breast. By their acceptance of Islam the Arabs were expecting victory for they would say ‘Let him and his people alone, for if be gets the better of them, he is a true prophet.’ Then when the battle of the conquest of Mecca took place every tribe hastened to accept Islam, and my father was the first of my tribe to accept it. When he returned he said: I swear by God that I have come to you from him who is truly the Prophet. He said,“Pray such and such a prayer at such and such a time, and such and such a prayer at such and such a time. When the time of prayer comes one of you should call the >i>adhan and the one of you who knows most of the Qur’an should act as your imam”So they considered, and there was no one who knew more of the Our’an than I did because of what I had received from the riders. They therefore put me forward in front of them, and I was only six or seven years old. I wore a mantle which, when I prostrated myself, went up on me, and a woman of the clan said,“Why do you not cover the backside of your reader from us?”So they bought and cut out a shirt for me, and I have never been so pleased about anything as I was about that shirt. Bukhari transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said:When the first Emigrants came to Medina, Salim the client of Abu Hudhaifa acted as their imam, and ‘Umar and Abu Salama b. ‘Abd al-Asad were among their number. Bukhari transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying,“There are three whose prayer is not raised a span above their heads:a man who acts as imam for people when they do not like him, a woman with whom her husband is displeased throughout the night, and two brothers* who are disunited.”* The word here is most probably used in the widest sense, meaning two Muslims. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Anas said:I never prayed behind an imam, who was more brief or more perfect in his prayer than the Prophet. If he heard a boy crying he would shorten the prayer for fear his mother might be distressed. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Qatada reported God’s Messenger as saying,“When I begin the prayer. I intend to make it long, but I hear a boy crying and shorten my prayer, being aware of his mother’s emotion because of his crying.”Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying,“When one of you leads the people in prayer he should be brief, for among them are the sick, the weak, and the aged. But when one of you prays by himself he may be as long as he likes.”(Bukhari and Muslim.)

Qais b. Abu Hazim said Abu Mas'ud told him of a man saying,“I swear by God, Messenger of God, that I keep away from the Morning Prayer on account of so and so, because he keeps us so long.”I never saw God’s Messenger more angry when giving an exhortation than he was that day. He said,“Some of you are scaring people away, so whoever of you leads the people in prayer must be brief, for among them are the weak, the aged, and people who have business to do.”(Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying,“They lead you in prayer, and if they do it properly you will reap a reward, but if they make mistakes you will reap a reward and they will be held responsible. Bukhari transmitted it.