عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: صُرِعَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ فَرَسٍ عَلَى جِذْعِ نَخْلَةٍ فَانْفَكَّتْ قَدَمُهُ، فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ نَعُودُهُ فَوَجَدْنَاهُ يُصَلِّي، فَصَلَّيْنَا بِصَلَاتِهِ وَنَحْنُ قِيَامٌ فَلَمَّا صَلَّى قَالَ: ((إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الْإِمَامُ لِيُؤْتَمَّ بِهِ فَإِنْ صَلَّى قَائِمًا فَصَلُّوا قِيَامًا، وَإِنْ صَلَّى جَالِسًا فَصَلُّوا جُلُوسًا، وَلَا تَقُومُوا وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ كَمَا يَفْعَلُ أَهْلُ فَارِسَ بِعُظَمَائِهِمْ))
Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fell from a horse onto the trunk of a date-palm tree, and the joint of his foot was dislocated. We went to him to tend to him, but he (peace and blessings be upon him) was performing prayer (sitting). We also began to pray along with him, while we were standing. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer, he said: Indeed, the Imam is appointed so that he may be followed, so when he prays standing, you should also pray standing, and if he prays sitting, then you should also pray sitting. When he is sitting, do not stand, as the Persians do with their elders (out of reverence for them).