It is narrated from Hazrat Ata that he heard Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) saying to the people from the pulpit: When any of you enters the mosque while the people are in ruku (bowing), he should go into ruku as soon as he enters, then, while remaining in the state of ruku, he should slowly move forward and join the row. Indeed, this is the Sunnah. Hazrat Ata says that he saw Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) doing this.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Let those among you who are wise and intelligent stand close to me, then those who are nearest to them (in understanding and discernment), then those who are nearest to them. And do not differ among yourselves, otherwise your hearts will also become different, and avoid the noise and commotion of the markets (in the mosques)."

Hazrat Qais bin Abad narrates that while I was standing in the first row offering prayer in Masjid Nabawi in Madinah Munawwarah, a person pulled me back from behind. He removed me and stood himself in that place. He says, "By Allah, due to anger, I could not comprehend my prayer (what I was reciting)." Then, when he finished the prayer, it was Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him). He said, "O young man, may Allah do good to you. The Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) took a covenant from us that we should stand close to the Imam." Then he faced the Qiblah and said, "By the Lord of the Ka'bah, the rulers have perished," and he said this three times. Then he said, "By Allah, I do not feel sorry for them, but I feel sorry for those people who are leading others astray." He says, "I asked, 'Who do you mean by this?' He replied, 'I mean the rulers (leaders).'"

Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) went to reconcile between Banu Amr bin Awf. (In his absence, the time for prayer came, so the muezzin came to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and requested him to lead the people in prayer. He started the prayer, then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) also arrived. He moved forward, passing through the rows, until he stood in the front row. Then the complete hadith was narrated. These are the words of the narration of Isma’il.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, the imam is appointed so that he may be followed. Therefore, when he says the takbir for prayer, you should also say the takbir, and when he bows (for ruku‘), you should also bow, and do not differ from him (do not do anything different from him). When he says «‏‏‏‏سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ» ‏‏‏‏, you should say «‏‏‏‏رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الحَمْدُ» ‏‏‏‏, and when he prostrates, you should also prostrate, and do not hasten before him."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), while teaching us, used to say: "Do not precede or hasten before the Imam in any action. When the Imam says the takbir, then you also say the takbir; when he bows (for ruku‘), then you also bow; and when he recites «‏‏‏‏غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِيّنَ» ‏‏‏‏, then you say Ameen; and when he says «‏‏‏‏سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ» ‏‏‏‏, then you say «‏‏‏‏رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الحَمْدُ» ‏‏‏‏; and do not hasten before the Imam in ruku‘ and sujud."

He is not considered one who has said the takbir until he has finished the takbir and completed the letter "ra" which is the last letter of the takbir. The difference between his saying: "When he says the takbir, then say the takbir," and his saying: "When he bows, then bow, and when he prostrates, then prostrate," is that the name "one who says the takbir" does not apply to the imam until he completes the takbir, whereas the name "one who bows" may apply to him when he is settled in bowing, and likewise the name "one who prostrates" applies to him when he is settled in sitting.

Sayyiduna Abu Sa‘id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the Imam says «‏‏‏‏اللهُ أَكْبَرُ» ‏‏‏‏, then you say «‏‏‏‏اللهُ أَكْبَرُ» ‏‏‏‏. When he says «‏‏‏‏سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ» ‏‏‏‏, then you say «‏‏‏‏رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الحَمْد» ‏‏‏‏."

It is narrated from Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) that Sayyiduna Samurah bin Jundub and Imran bin Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them both) discussed among themselves, so Sayyiduna Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he remembered two pauses from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): one pause after he had said the takbir, and the other pause when he finished recitation before bowing (ruku‘). "While he was not speaking aloud." Because the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite supplications quietly and silently during the pause between the first takbir and the recitation in the audible prayers.