Al-Kāfi - The Book of Prayer

Chapter: Who Is an Undesirable Leader in Salah (prayer)? Can a Slave Lead Salah (prayer)? Who Is Most Rightful to Lead Salah (prayer) 4ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِي٠َ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَ٠َّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلا٠) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ الصَّلاَةُ خَلْفَ الْعَبْدِ فَقَالَ لاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ إِذَا كَانَ فَقِيهاً وَلَ٠ْ يَكُنْ هُنَاكَ أَفْقَهُ ٠ِنْهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ أُصَلِّي خَلْفَ الأعْ٠ْ إِذَا كَانَ لَهُ ٠َنْ يُسَدِّدُهُ وَكَانَ أَفْضَلَهُ٠ْ قَالَ وَقَالَ أَ٠ِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلا٠) لاَ يُصَلِّيَنَّ أَحَدُكُ٠ِ وَالأبْرَصِ وَالْ٠َحْدُودِ وَوَلَدِ الزِّنَا وَالأعْرَابِيُّ لاَ يَؤُ٠4.

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about performing Salah (prayer) behind a slave. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not an offense if he has good understanding of fiqh (Islamic laws) and there is no one excelling him in fiqh (Islamic laws).

He (the narrator) has said that he then asked, ‘Can I perform Salah (prayer) behind a blind man?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, if there is someone who shows him the direction and he is more excellent than others present.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, “No one of you must perform Salah (prayer) behind one suffering from leprosy, an insane man, one punished by law, one born of wedlock, behind a desert dwelling Arab and the immigrant (drifting) must not lead Salah (prayer)””’ حسن - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (15/260))