If a man leads his slave or his wife in prayer, he attains the merit of the congregation. If he leads a young boy, it is valid in voluntary prayer (tatawwu'), because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) led Ibn Abbas in prayer while he was a young boy. If he leads him in an obligatory prayer, Ahmad said: The congregation is not established by him, because he is not fit to be an imam due to his state of deficiency, so he is like one whose prayer is not valid. Abu al-Hasan al-Amidi said: There is another report that it is valid [for him to be an imam] (16), because he is a voluntary worshiper, so it is permissible for him to be a follower of one performing an obligatory prayer, just like an adult. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said regarding a man who missed the congregation: "Who will give charity to this one, so he may pray with him?" (17).
Section: It is permissible to perform it in the house and in the wilderness. It is said that there is another report stating: Attending the mosque is obligatory if it is close to him, because it was reported (18) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he said: "There is no prayer for the neighbor of the mosque except in the mosque" (19). Our evidence is the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "I have been given five things which no one before me was given: The earth has been made for me a clean place, a place of purification, and a mosque (place of worship); so whichever man is overtaken by prayer, let him pray wherever he is." Agreed upon (20). Aisha said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed in his house while he was ailing (21), and he prayed sitting, while people behind him prayed standing, so he signaled to them to sit. Narrated by Al-Bukhari (22), and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to two men:
(16) Omitted from A. (17) Extracted by Abu Dawud, in: The Chapter on Congregating in the Mosque Twice, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/135. And Al-Tirmidhi, in: The Chapter on What Has Been Reported Regarding Congregation in a Mosque Where Prayer Has Already Been Performed Once, from the Chapters on Prayer. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 2/21. And Al-Darimi, in: The Chapter on Congregational Prayer in a Mosque Where Prayer Has Already Been Performed Once, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan al-Darimi 1/318. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 3/5, 64, 85, 5/254, 269. (18) In M: "yurwa" (it is narrated). (19) Extracted by Al-Daraqutni, in: The Chapter on Urging the Neighbor of the Mosque to Pray Therein Except for an Excuse, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan al-Daraqutni 1/420. It is therein on the authority of Jabir and Abu Hurayrah as marfu' (attributed to the Prophet). It is also extracted as mawquf (attributed) to Ali in the same place, and the author has indicated this mawquf report as will appear shortly. (20) Its documentation has preceded in 1/13. (21) Meaning: ill. (22) In Z: "and Muslim." It was narrated by Al-Bukhari, in: The Chapter on The Imam is Only Appointed to be Followed..., from the Book of Adhan; and in: The Chapter on the Prayer of the One Sitting, from the Book of Qasr (Shortening); and in: The Chapter on Signaling in Prayer, from the Book of Sahw (Prostration of Forgetfulness); and in: The Chapter on If He Visits a Sick Person..., from the Book of Medicine. Sahih al-Bukhari 1/176, 177, 2/59, 89, 7/152. It was also extracted by Muslim, in: The Chapter on the Follower's Following the Imam, from the Book of Prayer. Sahih Muslim 1/309. And Ibn Majah, in: The Chapter on What Has Been Reported Regarding "The Imam is Only Appointed to be Followed," from the Book of Establishing Prayer. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/392. And Imam Malik, in: The Chapter on the Imam's Prayer While Sitting, from the Book of Congregation. Al-Muwatta' 1/135. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 6/148.
