THE IMAM

Muslim prayer is mostly group prayer.  It should be led by an imAm.  Muhammad enjoins that �when there are three persons, one of them should lead them� (1417).

Muhammad exhorts his followers to follow their imAm.  �When he prostrates, you should also prostrate; when-he rises up, you should also rise up,� he tells them (817).  He also forbids them to bow and prostrate themselves ahead of the imAm: �Does the man who lifts his head before the imAm not fear that Allah may change his face into that of an ass?� (860).  Also, those who are being led in prayer are required to keep pace with the imAm and are forbidden to recite so loudly as to compete with him.  When someone once did this, Muhammad told him: �I felt as if [you were] disputing with me . . . and taking out from my tongue what I was reciting� (783).  The imAm is authorized to appoint anyone as his deputy, when there is a valid reason for doing so, just as Muhammad appointed AbU Bakr during his last illness (832-844).

author : ram swarup