Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ رَجَاءٍ عَنْ أَوْسِ بْنِ ضَمْعَجٍ عَنْ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِيَؤُمَّ الْقَوْمَ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ سَوَاءً فَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِالسُّنَّةِ فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي السُّنَّةِ سَوَاءً فَأَقْدَمُهُمْ هِجْرَةً فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْهِجْرَةِ سَوَاءً فَأَكْبَرُهُمْ سِنًّا وَلَا يُؤَمَّنَّ رَجُلٌ فِي سُلْطَانِهِ وَلَا يُجْلَسْ عَلَى تَكْرِمَتِهِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَأْذَنَ.
English Translation
Abu Mu'awiyah narrated to us, he said: al-A'mash narrated to us from Isma'il ibn Raja', from Aws ibn Dam'aj, from Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Let the one most versed in reciting the Book of Allah, Most High, lead the people in prayer; and if they are equal in recitation, then the one most knowledgeable of the Sunnah; and if they are equal in the Sunnah, then the one who emigrated earliest; and if they are equal in emigration, then the eldest of them in age. And no man should lead another in prayer within his authority, nor should one sit in his place of honor, except with his permission.