مختصر صحيح بخاري
Mukhtasar Sahih Bukhari
The imam is appointed to be followed.
The hadith of Umm al-Mu'minin Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed in his house during his illness has already been mentioned, and in this narration she says that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the imam prays sitting, then you should also pray sitting." (But this command was later abrogated. See the chapter: To what extent should a sick person attend the congregation?)
When should followers prostrate behind the imam?
Narrated by Sayyiduna Bara' (bin Azib, may Allah be pleased with him): When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said "Sami' Allahu liman hamidah," none of us would bend his back (for prostration) until the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went into prostration. After him, we would then go into prostration.
Raising the head before the imam is a grave sin.
Narrated by Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: "Does not any one of you who raises his head before the Imam fear that Allah may turn his head into the head of a donkey or his appearance into the appearance of a donkey?"
On slaves, freedmen, and minors leading prayer.
Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he (peace be upon him) said: "Listen! Obey! Even if an Abyssinian (Ethiopian) is appointed as your ruler, whose head is like a dried raisin."
If the imam does not complete the prayer but followers do.
Narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "These people who lead you in prayer, if they lead correctly, then there is reward for you, and if they make a mistake, then there is still reward for you and the sin is upon them."
When two pray, the follower should stand to the right of the imam.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that one night he stayed at the house of his maternal aunt, Umm al-Mu’minin Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her), as has been mentioned earlier (see: Book of Ablution... Chapter: Reciting the Qur’an after breaking ablution (without performing ablution)...). And in this narration, he says:“Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) slept until the sound of his breathing could be heard. After that, the mu’adhdhin came to him, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) went out and performed the Fajr prayer and did not perform ablution.”(In this hadith, there is mention of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) standing on the right side of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and praying with him.)
If the imam prolongs prayer and someone leaves for a need and prays elsewhere.
Narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray (the Isha) prayer with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and then would return and lead his own people in prayer. (On one occasion) he led the Isha prayer and recited Surah Al-Baqarah. A man (broke his prayer and) left, which greatly upset Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him). This news reached the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), so he said to Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) three times: "Fattan, Fattan, Fattan" (one who causes trouble), or he said: "Faatin, Faatin, Faatin" (one who creates discord). And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) instructed Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) to recite two short surahs from the Mufassal.
The imam should shorten standing and complete bowing and prostration.
Sayyiduna Abu Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says that a man said,“O Messenger of Allah! By Allah, I stay away from the morning prayer only because of so-and-so, as he makes the prayer too long for us.”Then I have never seen the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) more angry in giving advice than he was that day. After that, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“Some of you make people dislike (worship). So whoever among you leads the people in prayer should make it short, for among the congregation are the weak, the elderly, and those with needs.”
`Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) (the hadith which has passed above, see the chapter: When the Imam prolongs the prayer and a person has some need and he leaves (breaking the prayer) and offers the prayer elsewhere) says that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Why did you not lead the prayer with (Sabbi hisma rabbikal a'la) and (Wash-shamsi wa duhaha) and (Wallaili idha yaghsha)?"
Shortening and perfecting prayer is Sunnah.
Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform a short prayer and would perform it perfectly (completely).