One of them after the other without the first having invalidated his ablution, if the first leaves the leadership after having already entered into it, then the second steps forward and completes the prayer from the place where the first had reached, and the permissibility of the prayer of the one who is led, being an imam in part of the prayer and a follower in part of it, and the permissibility of a person following an imam when the follower began the prayer before his imam.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went to the people of Banu Amr bin Awf to reconcile between them. (He, peace be upon him, was delayed there) and the time for prayer arrived. The muezzin came to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and said,“Will you lead the people in prayer so that I may pronounce the iqamah?”He replied,“Yes.”Thus, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) began to lead the people in prayer. Meanwhile, as the people were praying, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also arrived. He made his way through the rows until he stood in the first row. At this, the people clapped (to draw the attention of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him), but Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) would not turn his attention here and there in his prayer. Then, when the people clapped even more, he became attentive and saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) signaled to him to remain standing in his place (and continue the prayer), but Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), upon this command of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) (that he should lead the people in prayer in his presence), raised both his hands and thanked and praised Allah Almighty. Then Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) stepped back and stood in line with the rows, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) moved forward and led the prayer. Then, when the prayer was finished, he said:“When I had commanded you, why did you not remain standing in your place?”So Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied,“It does not befit the son of Abu Quhafah (Abu Bakr) to lead the prayer in front of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).”Therefore, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:“What is the reason that I saw you clapping so much? Whoever experiences something in the prayer (i.e., the imam makes a mistake), he should say «‏‏‏‏سُبْحَانَ اللَٰه» ‏‏‏‏. For when he says «‏‏‏‏سُبْحَانَ اللَٰه» ‏‏‏‏, the imam will turn his attention towards him, and indeed, clapping (to alert the imam to a mistake) is specific for women.”This hadith is narrated by Yunus bin Abdul A’la. Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that in this hadith is evidence for the issue that when the imam is alerted by saying «‏‏‏‏سُبْحَانَ اللَٰه» ‏‏‏‏, it is permissible for the imam to turn his attention towards the one who says «‏‏‏‏سُبْحَانَ اللَٰه» ‏‏‏‏, so that he may know what mistake the one who said «‏‏‏‏سُبْحَانَ اللَٰه» ‏‏‏‏ has found, and thus fulfill his duty accordingly.

Sayyiduna Salim bin Ubaid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) fell ill and became unconscious. Then when he regained consciousness, he asked: "Has the time for prayer arrived?" We replied, "Yes." He (peace be upon him) said: "Tell Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) to give the call to prayer (adhan), and tell Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to lead the people in prayer." Then he (peace be upon him) became unconscious again. When he regained consciousness, he asked: "Has the time for prayer arrived?" We replied, "Yes." He (peace be upon him) said: "Order Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) to give the adhan, and tell Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to lead the people in prayer." He (peace be upon him) became unconscious again. When he regained consciousness, Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Indeed, my father is a soft-hearted man (he will not be able to bear your absence), so if you command someone else besides him, it would be better." Then when he (peace be upon him) regained consciousness, he asked: "Has the time for prayer arrived?" We replied, "Yes, the time has come." He (peace be upon him) said: "Tell Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) to give the adhan, and tell Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to lead the people in prayer." Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Indeed, my noble father is soft-hearted (he will start crying in your absence), so if you command someone else besides him, it would be better." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Indeed, you are like the women in the story of Yusuf (peace be upon him). Tell Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) to give the adhan, and tell Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to lead the people in prayer." Then he became unconscious again. The people requested Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) to give the adhan, so he gave the adhan and the iqamah, and they requested Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to lead the people in prayer (so he started the prayer). Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) regained consciousness and asked: "Has the prayer been established?" I replied, "Yes." He (peace be upon him) said: "Bring me a man whom I can lean on." So Sayyiduna Barirah (may Allah be pleased with him) and another man were called. Thus, the Prophet (peace be upon him) came for the prayer leaning on both of them, and he was seated beside Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). At this, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) began to move back, but the Prophet (peace be upon him) stopped him until the prayer was completed. This is the narration of Qasim bin Muhammad.

Imam Abu Bakr, may Allah have mercy on him, says that in the hadith of Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa’d, may Allah be pleased with him, there is mention of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, going to reconcile between Banu Amr bin Awf. In it, there is also that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to Sayyiduna Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him: "When the time for prayer comes and I have not returned, then tell Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to lead the people in prayer."

Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that we had a large mat which we would spread out during the day, and at night the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would fold it and pray on it. Then some Muslims found out about the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) prayer and they started praying with him. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) became aware of this, he said:“Take on only as much (good deeds) as you are able to bear. For Allah will not tire (of rewarding you) until you tire (of doing deeds), and the most beloved deeds to the Prophet (peace be upon him) were those that were done consistently, even if they were few. And whenever the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed a (voluntary) prayer, he would adhere to it regularly.”This is the narration of Abdul Jabbar, and in the narration of Saeed bin Abdur Rahman, it is mentioned:“Some people heard about the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) prayer and they also started praying with him.”And these words are added: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:“Indeed, I fear that a command may be made obligatory upon you which you would not be able to bear.”

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed (nafl) prayer in one of his chambers. Some Muslims became aware of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) prayer, so they came and began to pray with him. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) became aware of their presence, he shortened his prayer, then went home. There, he performed as much prayer as Allah willed. Then he came out (and the people were still present), so he repeated this action several times. When morning came, they said,“O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), last night we prayed with you, and we wish to perform it on a larger scale.”The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:“I did this deliberately (so that this prayer would not be made obligatory upon you).”

At that time, he should not appoint anyone as his deputy so that the followers wait for his return, and after attaining purity, he should lead them in prayer.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the prayer was established and the rows were straightened, then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to us. When he stood at his prayer place, he remembered that he was in a state of janabah (major ritual impurity). So he signaled to us to remain standing in our places. Then he went home, performed ghusl (ritual bath), then returned and led us in prayer. Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that Hammad bin Salamah narrates from his chain from Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had started the prayer, then (upon remembering) he signaled to them to remain standing in their places, then he went home. When he returned, water drops were dripping from his blessed head, then he led them in prayer.

Janab Duraqi has narrated an addition in the words of the narration of Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer or said, when he completed his prayer, he said: "Indeed, I am also only a human being (that is why I forgot), and I was in a state of impurity (janabah), (so when I remembered, I performed ghusl and then led the prayer)."

Contrary to this weak hadith which is narrated from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that he (peace be upon him) said: "When the imam leaves the followers and supplicates only for himself, then he has betrayed them."