Sahih Muslim Book - 5, Hadith - 1532

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِى شَيْبَةَ وَأَبُو سَعِيدٍ الأَشَجُّ كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ أَبِى خَالِدٍ - قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَالِدٍ الأَحْمَرُ - عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ رَجَاءٍ عَنْ أَوْسِ بْنِ ضَمْعَجٍ عَنْ أَبِى مَسْعُودٍ الأَنْصَارِىِّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « يَؤُمُّ الْقَوْمَ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِى الْقِرَاءَةِ سَوَاءً فَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِالسُّنَّةِ فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِى السُّنَّةِ سَوَاءً فَأَقْدَمُهُمْ هِجْرَةً فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِى الْهِجْرَةِ سَوَاءً فَأَقْدَمُهُمْ سِلْمًا وَلاَ يَؤُمَّنَّ الرَّجُلُ الرَّجُلَ فِى سُلْطَانِهِ وَلاَ يَقْعُدْ فِى بَيْتِهِ عَلَى تَكْرِمَتِهِ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ ». قَالَ الأَشَجُّ فِى رِوَايَتِهِ مَكَانَ سِلْمًا سِنًّا.

It was narrated that Abu Mas'ud Al-Ansari said: "The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: 'The people should be led (in prayers) by the one who has recite the most of the Book of Allah. If they are equal in recitation of the Qur'an, then by the one who has most knowledge of the Sunnah. If they are equal in knowledge of the Sunnah, then by the one who emigrated earlier. If they are equal in terms of emigration, then by the one who accepted Islam earlier. No man should lead another man in prayer in his place of authority, or sit in his place of honor in his house, without his permission."' Al-Ashajj said in his report, instead of the one who accepted Islam first, "the one who is older."