Offer this prayer at this time and that prayer at that time. When the time for a prayer is due, let one of you call the Adhān, and let the one who knows the Qur’an most lead the prayer
Authentic hadithعن أيوب، عن أبي قلابة، عن عمرو بن سَلِمة، قال -أي أيوب-: قال لي أبو قلابة: ألا تلقاه فتسأله؟ -أي تسأل عمرو بن سلمة- قال فلقيته فسألته فقال: كنا بماء ممر الناس، وكان يمرُّ بنا الرُّكبان فنسألهم: ما للناس، ما للناس؟ ما هذا الرجل؟ فيقولون: يزعم أن الله أرسله، أوحى إليه، أو: أوحى الله بكذا، فكنتُ أحفظ ذلك الكلام، وكأنما يَقَرُّ في صدري، وكانت العرب تَلَوَّم بإسلامهم الفتح، فيقولون: اتركوه وقومه، فإنه إن ظهر عليهم فهو نبي صادق، فلما كانت وقعة أهل الفتح، بادَر كلُّ قوم بإسلامهم، وبَدَر أبي قومي بإسلامهم، فلما قدم قال: جئتكم والله من عند النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم حقا، فقال: «صَلُّوا صلاة كذا في حين كذا، وصَلُّوا صلاة كذا في حين كذا، فإذا حضرت الصلاة فليؤذِّن أحدكم، وليَؤمَّكم أكثركم قرآنا». فنظروا فلم يكن أحد أكثر قرآنا مني، لما كنت أتلقى من الرُّكبان، فقدَّموني بين أيديهم، وأنا ابن ست أو سبع سنين، وكانت علي بُرْدة، كنت إذا سجدت تَقَلَّصت عني، فقالت امرأة من الحي: ألا تُغَطُّوا عنا اسْتَ قارئكم؟ فاشتروا فقطعوا لي قميصا، فما فرحتُ بشيء فرحي بذلك القميص.
Ayyūb reported from Abu Qilābah from ‘Amr ibn Salamah: Abu Qilābah said to me: "Will you not meet and ask him (‘Amr ibn Salamah)" I said: "I met him and asked him, so he said: ‘We were at a water place that was a thoroughfare for people. Riders would pass by us, and we would ask them: 'What are people up to? What are people up to? Who is that man?' They would say: 'He claims that Allah has sent him and revealed to him. Or Allah has revealed such and such.'' So I used to memorize that speech, as if it was instilled in my heart. Meanwhile, the Arabs (Bedouin tribes) delayed their conversion to Islam until the Conquest. So they would say: 'Leave him and his people, for indeed if he prevails over them, he is a true Prophet.' When the incident of the people of Conquest took place, every tribe rushed to embrace Islam, and my father hurried to embrace Islam before (the rest of) my tribe. When he came back, he said: 'By Allah, I have come to you from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for sure! He said: 'Offer this prayer at this time and that prayer at that time. When the time for a prayer is due, let one of you call the Adhān, and let the one who knows the Qur’an most lead the prayer.'' They checked and found none with more Qur’an than me, for I used to meet the riders. Therefore, they made me to lead them, when I was only six or seven years old. I had on me a garment, which would recede when I would prostrate. A lady from the tribe thus said: 'Will you not cover the bottom of your reader from us?' So they bought (a piece of cloth) and cut me an apparel. I had never been so happy with anything as I was with that apparel."
Explanation
Ayyūb al-Sakhtiyāni reports from Abu Qilābah al-Jarmi who said: "Why do you not meet ‘Amr ibn Salamah and ask him about the Hadīths that he knows?" He said: "I met ‘Amr ibn Salamah and asked him. So ‘Amr ibn Salamah said: 'We were in a place that we would stay in, and people would pass by. When riders passed by us, we would ask them about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the stance of the Arabs toward him. They would say that he claims that Allah has sent him and revealed to him such and such from what they heard of the Qur’an. So I would memorize that Qur’an perfectly as if it was instilled in my heart. The Arabs delayed their conversion to Islam until after Makkah was conquered. They would say: ‘Leave him and his Quraysh folks, for if he has victory over them, then he is a true Prophet.’ So when Makkah was conquered, each tribe hastened to convert, and my father was the first member of my tribe to embrace Islam. He went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). When he returned from him, he said: ‘By Allah, I have come to you from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for sure!’ He told them that the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings upon him, said to them: ‘Offer this prayer at this time and that prayer at that time. When the time for a prayer is due, let one of you call the Adhān, and let the one who knows the Qur’an most lead the prayer.’ They checked and found none with more Qur’an than me, for I used to meet the riders and learn the Qur’an from them. So they made me their prayer leader although I was then six or seven years old. I was wearing a short garment that would recede on my body when I would prostrate. A lady from the tribe said: ‘Will you not cover the private parts of your reciter from us?’ So they bought me an apparel. I had never been so happy with anything as I was with that apparel.'" This Hadīth does not indicate that covering one's private parts during prayer is not required, for it only tells the story of a certain incident. It is probable that this incident took place before those involved in it learned of the relevant ruling.
Source · Narrated by Bukhari
From the Hadith Encyclopedia (hadeethenc.com).