Chapter on the Rulings of Congregational Prayer (the Minimum Number for Congregational Prayer, the Description of the Imam, Who Is to Be Followed and Who Is Not to Be Followed, Recitation Behind Both of Them, the Rulings of Those Led in Prayer, and Other Such Rulings Related to It)

Muhammad ibn Yaqub narrated from Ali ibn Muhammad and others from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ibn Mahbub from Ibn Riab from Abi Ubaydah, who said: I asked Aba Abdillah عليه السلام about a group of our companions who gather and the time of prayer arrives, so some of them say to others, “Step forward, O’ so-and-so.” Imam عليه السلام said: “Indeed, the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family, said: ‘The one who should lead the people is the one most proficient in the recitation of the Qur’an. If they are equal in recitation, then the one who migrated earlier. If they are equal in migration, then the eldest in age. If they are equal in age, then the one who is more knowledgeable of the Sunnah and more understanding in religion. And none of you should step ahead of a man in his own home, nor of a person of authority in his domain.’”