Sayyiduna Mughirah bin Shu’bah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: There are two qualities regarding which I will not ask anyone among the people, because I myself have seen the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performing both actions. (1) The Imam performing prayer behind one of his subjects; indeed, I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) perform one rak’ah of Fajr prayer following Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him), and (2) a man wiping over his leather socks (khuffs); indeed, I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) wiping over his leather socks.

It is also narrated from Sayyiduna Mughirah bin Shu’bah (may Allah be pleased with him), when he was asked whether the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ever prayed behind anyone from his Ummah other than Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). He said: Yes, we were on a journey, … then he narrated a long hadith …, in which he also described the method of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) ablution. Then he said: When we reached the people, the prayer had already been established and Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) was leading them in prayer and had already completed one rak‘ah. I moved forward to inform him (that the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had arrived), but the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stopped me. Then we prayed one rak‘ah with him, and whatever was left, we completed it afterwards.

Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he was on a journey with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went away to relieve himself, and meanwhile, the time for prayer arrived. The companions established the prayer and put Abdur Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) forward to lead. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) returned, he joined the people and prayed one rak‘ah behind him. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer with salam, he said: Indeed, you have attained correctness and you have done well.