ROLE OF AN IMAAM

On the importance of prioritizing religiosity (piety and fear of Allaah) rather than sweet voice in the appointment of an Imaam, our Ustadh, Abu Naasir Ibrahim AbdulRauf حفظه الله sent me this point of benefit. He said and I quote:

I have checked it and the text and reference is correct. You can translate and spread:

💡من يطلب إماما لأجل صوته لا لصلاحه❗

قال العلامة أبو عبد الله ابن الحاج المالكي (ت: ٧٣٧ هـ) رحمه الله تعالى :

《وَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ الْإِمَامُ فِي قِيَام رَمَضَان 

مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ وَالْخَيْرِ وَالدِّيَانَة

بِخِلَافِ مَا يَفْعَلُهُ بَعْضُهُمْ الْيَوْم

لِأَنَّ الْغَالِبَ مِنْهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ :

إنَّمَا يُقَدِّمُونَ الرَّجُلَ :

لِحُسْنِ صَوْتِهِ لَا لِحُسْنِ دِينِهِ

وَقَدْ قَالَ مَالِكٌ -رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ- 

فِي الْقَوْمِ يُقَدِّمُونَ الرَّجُلَ

لِيُصَلِّيَ بِهِمْ لِحُسْنِ صَوْتِهِ :

👈 إنَّمَا يُقَدِّمُوهُ لِيُغَنِّيَ لَهُم .

【المدخل (٢٩٢/٢)】.

Abū Abdillāh BN al-Hāj al-Mālikī (d.737H) [may Allaah have mercy on him] said:

It is required that the Imām leading the night prayers during Ramadān be a man of knowledge, rectitude and religiosity. This is contrary to what some people do today. Many of the people are fond of appointing as Imām someone with a beautiful voice rather than the religious

Concerning people who appoint an Imām based on the sweetness of his voice, Imām Mālik (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

"They have only appointed him to sing for them."

[Al-Madkhal 2/292, Translated by Ustadh Sanusi Lafiagi]