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)

This was narrated by Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa from Muhammad ibn Ismail ibn Buzay, who said: I wrote to Abu al-Hasan عليه السلام, peace be upon him, saying: “I attend the mosques with my neighbors and others, and they ask me to lead them in prayer, while I have already prayed before coming to them. Sometimes those who follow my prayer include those who imitate my actions in prayer, the weak, and the ignorant, and I dislike to step forward (as imam of prayer) having already prayed, due to the state of those who follow me in prayer from among those I have mentioned to you. So command me in this matter with your instruction, that I may follow it and act upon it, if Allah سبحانه وتعالى wills.” So Imam عليه السلام wrote back: “Pray with them.”