What is the ruling for a traveler leading residents in the Friday Prayer? A distinguished scholar traveled to a town and arrived there on a Friday. Is it permissible for him to deliver the Friday sermon and lead the congregation in the prayer? Is being a resident in the same town a condition for delivering the Friday sermon and leading worshippers in prayer?

If a distinguished scholar arrives in a town and the people choose him to deliver the Friday sermon and lead them in prayer, this is permissible, and the prayer of both the imam and the congregation is valid. This is the position of the Shafi‘i and Hanbali schools of jurisprudence. The Maliki school, however, stipulates that the imam leading the Friday Prayer must be a resident.

Based on the above, if people appoint the distinguished scholar to lead them in the Friday Prayer, both his prayer and theirs are valid according to Islamic law, by will of Allah.

And Allah Almighty knows best.