We were told by Saʿīd al-Jurayrī, from Abū al-ʿAlāʾ, from Muṭarrif, from ʿUthmān ibn Abī al-ʿĀṣ, who said: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, make me the imam of my people.” He said: “You are their imam, and follow the example of the weakest of them, and appoint a muʾadhdhin who takes no payment for his adhān.”(1)

--------------------------------------------
(1) Its chain of transmission is sound. Ḥammād ibn Salamah narrated from Saʿīd al-Jurayrī — who is Ibn Iyās — before his memory became confused. ʿAffān is Ibn Muslim al-Ṣaffār, and Abū al-ʿAlāʾ is Yazīd ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Shikhkhīr, who is the brother of Muṭarrif. It is in al-Sunan al-Kubrā, no. (1648).

Aḥmad also recorded it (16271) and (17910) from ʿAffān, with this chain of transmission, and the wording of Aḥmad’s second narration is: “And the last thing the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, enjoined upon me was that he said: ‘Be moderate in your prayer, and gauge the people by their weakest, for among them are the young, the old, the weak, and the one with a need.’”

Aḥmad also recorded it (17906) and (17911), and Abū Dāwūd (531), through multiple paths from Ḥammād ibn Salamah, with it.

Aḥmad also recorded it (16270) from ʿAbd al-Ṣamad ibn ʿAbd al-Wārith, from Ḥammād ibn Salamah, from Saʿīd al-Jurayrī, from Abū al-ʿAlāʾ, from ʿUthmān ibn Abī al-ʿĀṣ, with it, without mentioning Muṭarrif ibn ʿAbd Allāh, and its chain of transmission is also sound. The earlier narrations whose chains include Muṭarrif between Abū al-ʿAlāʾ and ʿUthmān ibn Abī al-ʿĀṣ are instances of additional material inserted within continuous chains.

Aḥmad also recorded it (16272) from ʿAffān, from Ḥammād ibn Zayd, from Saʿīd al-Jurayrī, with the first chain of transmission.

Aḥmad also recorded it (16273) via Saʿīd ibn Abī Hind, from Muṭarrif, with it, with the addition: “Fasting is a shield like the shield of any one of you in battle,” and this point will come later under no. (2230).

Aḥmad also recorded it (16275), (16276), (16277), (17899), (17913), and (17917), and Muslim (468), al-Tirmidhī (209), and Ibn Mājah (714), (987), and (988), through multiple paths from ʿUthmān ibn Abī al-ʿĀṣ, with it, in both abridged and expanded forms, with some of them adding to others.

His saying, “and follow the example of the weakest of them” means: adopt for him the way of leniency in the standing and the recitation, such that it is as though he stands and bows according to what he wishes, while you are the follower who bows with his bowing.

“And appoint…” is understood by many as indicating recommendation, and they have permitted taking payment. And Allah Most High knows best. Al-Sindī said this.