Some scholars of ḥadīth among the Ahl al-Ḥadīth, including al-Mullā ʿAlī al-Qārī (d. 1014 AH / 1606 CE), Jalāl ad-Dīn as-Suyūṭī (d. 911 AH / 1505 CE), and others, have mentioned a striking account concerning the seriousness of proceeding ahead of the imām in prayer.
They relate the story of a man who travelled to Damascus in order to study ḥadīth under one of its renowned teachers. During his studies, a veil was placed between the student and the teacher, such that the student never saw the teacher’s face. As time passed, the teacher noticed the student’s remarkable enthusiasm, diligence, and sincerity in seeking knowledge. Moved by this, the teacher decided to remove the veil and reveal his face.
He then addressed the student, saying:
احذر يا بني أن تسبق الإمام، فإني لما مر بي الحديث استبعدت وقوعه فسبقت الإمام فصار وجهي كما ترى
“O my son, beware lest you ever precede the imām. When I encountered this narration, I thought its occurrence unlikely, so I preceded the imām, and my face became as you now see.” Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī, commentary on ḥadīth no. 582.
When the veil was lifted, his face was that of a donkey.
This account is cited by the scholars as a powerful admonition and a vivid reminder of the gravity of treating the commands and warnings of the Messenger of Allah lightly, particularly in matters of ṣalāh.
This meaning is firmly grounded in an authentic ḥadīth reported by Abū Hurayrah ؓ, in which the Prophet Muḥammad said:
أَمَا يَخْشَى أَحَدُكُمْ أَوْ لاَ يَخْشَى أَحَدُكُمْ إِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ قَبْلَ الإِمَامِ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ رَأْسَهُ رَأْسَ حِمَارٍ أَوْ يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ صُورَتَهُ صُورَةَ حِمَارٍ
“Does one of you not fear that if he raises his head before the imām, Allah may turn his head into the head of a donkey, or that He may transform his form into that of a donkey?” Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, no. 691; compare Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, nos. 427a–427b.
This ḥadīth is recorded by Muslim in his Ṣaḥīḥ, indicating the severity of the warning and the seriousness of maintaining proper conduct behind the imām in congregational prayer.
References
ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān ibn ʿAbd ar-Raḥīm al-Mubārakfūrī, Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī bi-Sharḥ Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī, vol. 3, commentary on ḥadīth no. 582.
Abū al-Ḥusayn Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjāj al-Qushayrī, Aṣ-Ṣaḥīḥ, nos. 427a–427b, chapter on the prohibition of preceding the imām.
Al-Bukhārī, Aṣ-Ṣaḥīḥ, no. 691.
