Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
tabarani:18427ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Muʿāwiyah al-ʿUtbī al-Miṣrī > Yūsuf b. ʿAdī > Ayyūb b. Mudrik > Makḥūl > Wāthilah b. al-Asqaʿ

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Stand in a row and let the one who is most excellent in prayer lead you, for Allah chooses from the angels and from the people."  

الطبراني:١٨٤٢٧حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ الْعُتْبِيُّ الْمِصْرِيُّ ثنا يُوسُفُ بْنُ عَدِيٍّ ثنا أَيُّوبُ بْنُ مُدْرِكٍ عَنْ مَكْحُولٍ عَنْ وَاثِلَةَ بْنِ الْأَسْقَعِ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «اصْطَفُّوا وَلْيَتَقَدَّمْكُمْ فِي الصَّلَاةِ أَفْضَلُكُمْ فَإِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ يَصْطَفِي مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَمِنَ النَّاسِ»  


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Collected by Suyūṭī
suyuti:3351a
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السيوطي:٣٣٥١a

"اصْطَفُّوا، ولْيتقَدَّمْكُمْ في الصّلاةِ أَفْضَلُكُمْ، فإِن الله ﷻ يَصطفى من الملائكِة ومِن النَّاسِ" .  

[طب] الطبرانى في الكبير عن واثلة