Aswad says: Alqama and I went to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) at noon. When the sun had declined, he stood up for prayer and we stood behind him, but he took the hands of me and my companion and made us stand on either side of him, and he himself stood between us. Then he said: When there were three people, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do like this. Then he led us in prayer, and after finishing, he said: Soon there will be such imams who will delay the prayers from their proper times, so do not wait for them (but pray at the proper time), and then consider the prayer you perform with them afterwards as voluntary.