Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah and Abu Sa'id al-Ashajj narrated to us—both of them from Abu Khalid. Abu Bakr said: Abu Khalid al-Ahmar narrated to us, from al-A'mash, 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: "The one who leads the people in prayer should be the one most proficient in the Book of Allah. If they are equal in recitation, then the one most knowledgeable of the Sunnah. If they are equal in the Sunnah, then the one who emigrated first. If they are equal in emigration, then the one who accepted Islam first. And no man should lead another man in prayer within the latter's authority, nor sit in his house on his seat of honor except with his permission." Al-Ashajj said in his narration, instead of "accepted Islam first": "oldest in age."