Sahih
Muslim
صحيح مسلم
05
The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer
كتاب الْمَسَاجِدِ وَمَوَاضِعِ الصَّلاَةِ
Chapter 53: Who is more entitled to lead the prayer
باب مَنْ أَحَقُّ بِالإِمَامَةِ
Sahih Muslim 672 a
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying
When there are three persons, one of them should lead them. The one among them most worthy to act as Imam is one who is best versed in the Qur'an.حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِذَا كَانُوا ثَلاَثَةً فَلْيَؤُمَّهُمْ أَحَدُهُمْ وَأَحَقُّهُمْ بِالإِمَامَةِ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ " .
Grade: Sahih