Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says: The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed in my chamber, and people, following him in prayer, were praying behind the chamber in congregation with his (peace and blessings be upon him) prayer.

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed in a chamber one night. Some people came and they also began to pray along with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) shortened the prayer and then entered the house (where he prayed a long prayer). Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out (and led them in a light prayer). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) returned several times, and each time he prayed. When morning came, the Companions said: O Messenger of Allah! You prayed and we wished that you would lengthen the prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Indeed, I knew about your place ((and your condition)), and I deliberately did this.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that one day a group of companions was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned towards them and said: O people! Do you not know that indeed I am Allah’s Messenger sent to you? They said: Why not, we bear witness that indeed you (peace and blessings be upon him) are Allah’s Messenger. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Do you not know that Allah has revealed in His Book that whoever obeys me, indeed he has obeyed Allah? They said: Why not, O Messenger of Allah! We bear witness that whoever obeys you, indeed he has obeyed Allah, and obeying you is from obeying Allah Almighty. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Indeed, it is from obeying Allah that you obey me, and it is from obeying me that you obey your leaders, follow your leaders; if they pray sitting, then you should also pray sitting.

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Once the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) became ill, so we performed prayer behind him while he was sitting, and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was saying the takbir so that the people could hear. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) turned his attention towards us and saw us standing, he gestured to us (to sit down), so we performed the prayer sitting. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer, he said: "It was close that you would do what the Persians and Romans do, that their kings sit while they stand before them. So do not do so, and follow your imams. If they pray standing, then you should pray standing, and if they pray sitting, then you should also pray sitting."

Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that in the illness during which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, he said: "Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Abu Bakr is a very soft-hearted (and easily moved to tears) man; when he stands in your place, he will be overcome with emotion." The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You are like the women who were with Yusuf (peace be upon him). Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." Then Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) led the prayer, and the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed sitting behind Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).

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.

Under this chapter, the following sub-chapters and hadiths have been mentioned.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, stood up at night and began to pray. I also got up, performed ablution, and stood on his left side. He, peace and blessings be upon him, pulled me and made me stand on his right side. He, peace and blessings be upon him, performed thirteen rak‘ahs of prayer, in which his standing (qiyam) was equal throughout.