Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) rode a horse in Medina. It threw him off at the root of a date-palm. His foot was injured. We visited him to inquire about his illness. We found him praying sitting in the apartment of Aisha. We, therefore, stood, (praying) behind him. He kept silent. We again visited him to inquire about his illness. He offered the obligatory prayer sitting. We, therefore, stood (praying) behind him; he made a sign to us and we sat down. When he finished the prayer, he said: When the imam prays sitting, pray sitting; and when the imam prays standing, pray standing, and do not act as the people of Persia used to act with their chiefs (i.e. the people stood and they were sitting).

Narrated AbuHurayrah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The imam is appointed only to be followed; when he says "Allah is most great," say "Allah is most great" and do not say "Allah is most great" until he says "Allah is most great." When he bows; bow; and do not bow until he bows. And when he says "Allah listens to him who praise Him," say "O Allah, our Lord, to Thee be the praise." The version recorded by Muslim goes: "And to Thee be the praise: And when he prostrate; and do not prostrate until he prostrates. When he prays standing, pray standing, and when he prays sitting, all of you pray sitting. Abu Dawud said: The words "O Allah, our Lord, to You be the praise" reported by Sulaiman were explained to me by some of our companions.

Narrated AbuHurayrah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The imam is appointed only to be followed. This version adds: When he recites (the Qur'an), keep silent." Abu Dawud said: The addition of the words "When he recites, keep silent" in this version are not guarded. The misunderstanding, according to us, is on the part of Abu Khalid (a narrator).

‘A’ishah said; The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed in his house sitting and the people prayed behind him standing. He made a sign to them (asking them) to sit down. When he finished the prayer, he said : The IMAM is appointed only to be followed; so when he prays standing. Pray standing ; and when he raises himself, raise yourself: and when he prays sitting. Pray sitting.

Jabir said : when the prophet (ﷺ) became seriously ill, we prayed behind him while he was sitting and Abu Bakr was calling “Allah is most great “ to cause the people to hear the TAKBIR. Then he (the narrators) narrated the rest of the tradition.

Husain reported on the authority of the children of Sa’d b. Mu’adh that Usaid b. Hudair used to act as their Imam. (when he fell ill) the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to him inquiring about his illness. They said: Messenger of Allah, our Imam is ill. He said : When he prays sitting, pray sitting. Abu Dawud said : The chain of this tradition is not continuous (muttasil)

Anas said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered upon Umm Haram. The people (in her house) brought some cooking oil dates to him. He said; Put it (dates) back in its container and return it (cooking oil) to its bag, because I am keeping fast. He then stood and led us in prayer two Rak’ahs of supererogatory prayer. Then Umm Sulaim and Umm Haram stood behind us (i.e., the men). Thabit (the narrator) said: I understand that Anas said; he (the prophet) made me stand on his right side.

Anas said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led him and one of their women in prayer. He (the prophet) put him on his right side and the woman behind him (Anas)

‘Abd Allah b. ‘Abbas said : when I was spending a night in the house of my maternal aunt Maimunah, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up at night, opened the mouth of the water skin and performed ablution. He then closed the mouth of the water-skin and stood for prayer. Then I got up and performed ablution as he did ; then I came and stood on his left side. He took my hand, turned me round behind his back and set me on his right side; and I prayed along with him.

Anas b. Malik said that his grandmother Mulaikah the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to take meals which she prepared for him. He took some of it and prayed. He said : Get up, I shall lead you in prayer. Anas said: I got up and took a mat which had become black on account of long use. I then washed it with water. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood upon it. I and the orphan (Ibn Abi Dumairah, the freed slave of the prophet) stood in a row behind him. The old women stood behind us. He then led us in two raka'at of prayer and left.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: Alqamah and al-Aswad sought permission from Abdullah (ibn Mas'ud) for admission, and we remained sitting at his door for a long time. A slave-girl came out and gave them permission (to enter). He (Ibn Mas'ud) then got up and prayed (standing) between me (al-Aswad) and him (Alqamah). He then said: I witnessed the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing similarly.

Narrated Yazid ibn al-Aswad: Jabir ibn Yazid ibn al-Aswad reported on the authority of his father: I prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). When he finished the prayer, he would turn (his face from the direction of the Ka'bah).

Narrated Al-Bara' ibn Azib: When we would pray behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), we liked to be on his right side. He (the Prophet) would sit turning his face towards us (and back towards the Ka'bah) (ﷺ).

Narrated Mughirah ibn Shu'bah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The Imam should not pray at the place where he led the prayer until he removes (from there). Abu Dawud said: 'Ata' al-Khurasani did not see Mughirah b. Shu'bah (This tradition is, therefore munqati', i.e. a link is missing in the chain).

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: When the Imam completes the prayer and sits (for reciting tashahhud), and then becomes defiled (i.e. his ablution becomes void) before he speaks (to someone), his prayer becomes complete. And those who prayed behind him also complete the prayer.

Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The key of prayer is purification; takbir (saying "Allah is most great") makes (all acts which break prayer) unlawful and taslim (uttering the salutation) makes (all such acts) lawful.

Narrated Mu'awiyah ibn AbuSufyan: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Do not try to outstrip me in bowing and prostrating because however earlier I bow you will join me when I raise (my head from bowing); I have become bulky.

Al-Bara who is not a liar said; when they (the companions) raised their heads from bowing along with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), they would stand up, and when they saw him that he went down in prostration, they would prostrate (following the prophet).

Al-Bara b.‘Azib said ; we used to pray along with the prophet (ﷺ); none of us bowed his back until he saw that the prophet (ﷺ) bowed (his back).

Al-Bara (b. Azib)said; They (the Companions) used to pray along with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). When he bowed, they bowed; and when he said, “Allah listens to him who praises him”, they remained standing until they saw that he placed his placed his forehead on the ground: then they would follow him (ﷺ)