Question 2154: Should the prayer leader (Imam) recite the supplications (Duas) of Qunut etc. in congregational prayer in the singular or plural form?
Answer
✅ Answer: Please note the following Ahadith:
1 مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِیِّ بْنِ الْحُسَیْنِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ مَنْ صَلَّی بِقَوْمٍ فَاخْتَصَّ نَفْسَهُ بِالدُّعَاءِ دُونَهُمْ فَقَدْ خَانَهُمْ.
📚 Al-Faqih, Vol. 1, p. 259
Sheikh Saduq narrated: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: Whoever leads a group of people in congregational prayer and exclusively supplicates for himself to their exclusion, he has certainly betrayed them!
2 عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ یَحْیَی عَنْ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ سُلَیْمَانَ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ عَمِّهِ عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَبِیهِ عَنْ آبَائِهِ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ: مَنْ صَلَّی بِقَوْمٍ فَاخْتَصَّ نَفْسَهُ بِالدُّعَاءِ فَقَدْ خَانَهُمْ.
📚 Al-Tahdhib, Vol. 3, p. 281
Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) narrated from his father, from his forefathers, from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) who said: Whoever leads a group of people in congregational prayer and exclusively supplicates for himself, he has certainly betrayed them!
✅ From the above Ahadith, it is clear that the prayer leader is duty-bound to recite the supplications he reads in his prayer during Qunut and Sujud (prostration) using plural pronouns, thereby including the followers (Ma'mumin) in the supplication and avoiding specializing it for himself.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْر