(61) باب مَنْ أَحَقُّ بِالإِمَامَةِ
'Amr b. Salamah reported on the authority of his father (Salamah) that they visited the Prophet (ﷺ). When they intended to return, they said:
Messenger of Allah, who will lead us in prayer? He said: The one of you who knows most of the Qur'an, or memorizes most of the Qur'an, (should act as your imam). There was none in the clan who knew more of the Qur'an than I did. They, therefore, put me in front of them and I was only a boy. And I wore a mantle, Whenever I was present in the gathering of Jarm (name of his clan), I would act as their Imam, and lead them in their funeral prayer until today.Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by 'Amr b. Salamah through a different chain of transmitter. This version has: "When my clan visited the Prophet( may peace be upon him) ...." He did not report it on the authority of his father.
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 587
In-book reference: Book 2, Hadith 197
English translation: Book 2, Hadith 587