It was narrated that ‘Amr said: “I heard Jabir bin ‘Abdullah say: ‘Mu’adh used to pray with the Prophet (ﷺ) then he would go back to his people to lead them in a prayer. He stayed late one night and prayed with the Prophet (ﷺ) then he went back to his people to lead them in prayer, and he recited Surat Al-Baqarah. When a man from his people heard that, he stepped aside and prayed (on hisown), then he left. They said: ‘You have become a hypocrite, 0 so and-so!’ He said: ‘By Allah, I have not become a hypocrite, and I will go to the Prophet (ﷺ) and tell him (about that),’ So he went to the Prophet and said: ‘0 Messenger of Allah(ﷺ), Muadh prays with you, then he comes to lead us in prayer. You delayed the prayer, and he prayed with you then he came back to lead us in prayer, and he started to recite Shut Al-Baqarah. When Iheard that, I stepped aside and prayed by myself, because we are people who bring water with the camels and we work hard.’ The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him: ‘0 Muadh, do you want to cause hardship to the people? Recite such and such a Surah, and such and such a Surah.”‘
Hadith In Arabic Text :
أخبرنا محمد بن منصور، قال حدثنا سفيان، عن عمرو، قال سمعت جابر بن عبد الله، يقول كان معاذ يصلي مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ثم يرجع إلى قومه يؤمهم فأخر ذات ليلة الصلاة وصلى مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ثم رجع إلى قومه يؤمهم فقرأ سورة البقرة فلما سمع رجل من القوم تأخر فصلى ثم خرج فقالوا نافقت يا فلان . فقال والله ما نافقت ولآتين النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فأخبره . فأتى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال يا رسول الله إن معاذا يصلي معك ثم يأتينا فيؤمنا وإنك أخرت الصلاة البارحة فصلى معك ثم رجع فأمنا فاستفتح بسورة البقرة فلما سمعت ذلك تأخرت فصليت وإنما نحن أصحاب نواضح نعمل بأيدينا . فقال له النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ” يا معاذ أفتان أنت اقرأ بسورة كذا وسورة كذا ” .
Chapter : The Book of Leading the Prayer (Al-Imamah) – كتاب الإمامة