كتاب الصلاة
4  
The Book of Prayers
(21)
Chapter: If The Imam Experiences An Excuse, From Illness, Or Travelling, Etc. He May Appoint Someone Else To Lead The People In Prayer; The One Who Offers Prayer Behind The Imam Sitting Because He Is Unable To Stand Must Stand If He Is Able To Do So; And The Abrogation Of Sitting Behind A Sitting Imam For Those Who Are Able To Stand
(21)
باب اسْتِخْلاَفِ الإِمَامِ إِذَا عَرَضَ لَهُ عُذْرٌ مِنْ مَرَضٍ وَسَفَرٍ وَغَيْرِهِمَا مَنْ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ وَأَنَّ مَنْ صَلَّى خَلْفَ إِمَامٍ جَالِسٍ لِعَجْزِهِ عَنِ الْقِيَامِ لَزِمَهُ الْقِيَامُ إِذَا قَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ وَنَسْخِ الْقُعُودِ خَلْفَ الْقَاعِدِ فِي حَقِّ مَنْ قَدَرَ عَلَى الْقِيَامِ
Sahih Muslim 418 a

Ubaidullah b. Abdullah reported:

I visited 'A'isha and asked her to tell about the illness of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She agreed and said: The Apostle (ﷺ) was seriously ill and he asked whether the people had prayed. We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Put some water in the tub for me. We did accordingly and he (the Holy Prophet) took a bath;and, when he was about to move with difficulty, he fainted. When he came round, he again said: Have the people said prayer? We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. He (the Holy Prophet) again said: Put some water for me in the tub. We did accordingly and he took a bag, but when he was about to move with difficultyhe fainted. When he came round, he asked whether the people had prayed. We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. He said: Put some water for me in the tub. We did accordingly and he took a bath and he was about to move with difficulty when he fainted. When he came roundhe said: Have the people saidprayer? We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. She ('A'isha) said: The people were staying in the mosque and waiting for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to lead the last (night) prayer. She ('A'isha) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent (instructions) to Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. When the messenger came, he told him (Abd Bakr): The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has ordered you to lead the people in prayer. Abu Bakr who was a man of very tenderly feelings asked Umar to lead the prayer. 'Umar said: You are more entitled to that. Abu Bakr led the prayers during those days. Afterwards the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) felt some relief and he went out supported by two men, one of them was al-'Abbas, to the noon prayer. Abu Bakr was leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr saw him. he began to withdraw, but the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) told him not to withdraw. He told his two (companions) to seat him down beside him (Abu Bakr). They seated him by the side of Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr said the prayer standing while following the prayer of the Apostle (ﷺ) and the people Bald prayer (standing) while following the prayer of Abu Bakr. The Apostle (ﷺ) was seated. Ubaidullah said: I visited 'Abdullah b. 'Abbas, and said: Should I submit to you what 'A'isha had told about the illness of the Apostle (ﷺ)? He said: Go ahead. I submitted to him what had been transmitted by her ('A'isha). He objected to none of it, only asking whether she had named to him the man who accompanied al-'Abbas. I said: No. He said: It was 'Ali.
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا زَائِدَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ أَبِي عَائِشَةَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا أَلاَ تُحَدِّثِينِي عَنْ مَرَضِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ بَلَى ثَقُلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَصَلَّى النَّاسُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْنَا لاَ وَهُمْ يَنْتَظِرُونَكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ ضَعُوا لِي مَاءً فِي الْمِخْضَبِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَفَعَلْنَا فَاغْتَسَلَ ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ لِيَنُوءَ فَأُغْمِيَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَفَاقَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَصَلَّى النَّاسُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْنَا لاَ وَهُمْ يَنْتَظِرُونَكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ ضَعُوا لِي مَاءً فِي الْمِخْضَبِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَفَعَلْنَا فَاغْتَسَلَ ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ لِيَنُوءَ فَأُغْمِيَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَفَاقَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَصَلَّى النَّاسُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْنَا لاَ وَهُمْ يَنْتَظِرُونَكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ ضَعُوا لِي مَاءً فِي الْمِخْضَبِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَفَعَلْنَا فَاغْتَسَلَ ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ لِيَنُوءَ فَأُغْمِيَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَفَاقَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَصَلَّى النَّاسُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقُلْنَا لاَ وَهُمْ يَنْتَظِرُونَكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ وَالنَّاسُ عُكُوفٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ يَنْتَظِرُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِصَلاَةِ الْعِشَاءِ الآخِرَةِ - قَالَتْ - فَأَرْسَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ فَأَتَاهُ الرَّسُولُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَكَانَ رَجُلاً رَقِيقًا يَا عُمَرُ صَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ أَنْتَ أَحَقُّ بِذَلِكَ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ تِلْكَ الأَيَّامَ ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَجَدَ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ خِفَّةً فَخَرَجَ بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا الْعَبَّاسُ لِصَلاَةِ الظُّهْرِ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ذَهَبَ لِيَتَأَخَّرَ فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ لاَ يَتَأَخَّرَ وَقَالَ لَهُمَا ‏"‏ أَجْلِسَانِي إِلَى جَنْبِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَأَجْلَسَاهُ إِلَى جَنْبِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُصَلِّي وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ بِصَلاَةِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَالنَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَالنَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَاعِدٌ ‏.‏ قَالَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَلاَ أَعْرِضُ عَلَيْكَ مَا حَدَّثَتْنِي عَائِشَةُ عَنْ مَرَضِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ هَاتِ ‏.‏ فَعَرَضْتُ حَدِيثَهَا عَلَيْهِ فَمَا أَنْكَرَ مِنْهُ شِيْئًا غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ أَسَمَّتْ لَكَ الرَّجُلَ الَّذِي كَانَ مَعَ الْعَبَّاسِ قُلْتُ لاَ ‏.‏ قَالَ هُوَ عَلِيٌّ ‏.‏
Reference : Sahih Muslim 418a
In-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 98
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 832
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