Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah

Hazrat Ubaidullah bin Abdullah narrates from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) led the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in prayer while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was present in the row behind them. Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that, therefore, the narration is not correct which states that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the imam in the prayer performed during his last illness, and he was sitting while Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were standing. Because in the ahadith narrated by Masruq and Ubaidullah from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), it is mentioned that the imam was Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was a follower, and this narration is contrary to the narrations of Urwah and Aswad from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). On this basis, Imam Shuba bin Hajjaj has stated in his chain from the narration of Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that some people say that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the imam of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), while some people say that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the imam of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). As for the hadith which those people have used as evidence who think that this action of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was when he fell from a horse, and the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that the followers should follow the imam, and when he leads the prayer sitting, the followers should also pray sitting, this is abrogated. However, this is not authentically proven in transmission. Therefore, it is not correct for any scholar to declare abrogated by a disputed hadith any such action and command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) which is proven from him with authentic and continuous chains. Because the group of hadith scholars who have claimed this, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has prohibited this action in the hadith of Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), and we have stated that this narration is disputed, and you have stated that this is what the Persians and Romans do with their kings, that when their kings are sitting, they (out of respect for them) remain standing. We have already mentioned this hadith in its place. Therefore, how can it be correct to command such an action following the Persians and Romans, from which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has prohibited? And after the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has prohibited it, it is also not authentically proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded this action or declared it permissible. There is no difference among the scholars who are knowledgeable about hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed prayer sitting, and also commanded the people to pray sitting, while they had the ability to stand and it was possible for them to perform the prayer sitting. Indeed, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded the followers to pray sitting behind the imam, when the imam is also praying sitting, and when the imam is leading the prayer sitting, he prohibited the followers from standing in prayer. There is a difference among the scholars regarding the abrogation of this command, but in terms of transmission, there is no such narration proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) which abrogates the action and command proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as we have stated. Therefore, what is authentically proven from you and upon which the scholars agree on its authenticity is certain, and regarding that which the scholars differ and nothing is proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), that thing is doubtful, and it is not permissible to abandon a certain and established thing for a doubtful thing, rather a certain thing is only abandoned for another certain thing. If someone who ponders deeply in the religious rulings says, how can it be permissible for a person who is able to stand to pray sitting? He will be answered that, if Allah wills, it will be permissible for him to pray in the best manner, as this is the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), whose following has been commanded and upon whose following the promise of guidance has been made. Thus, it has been stated that obedience to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is in fact obedience to Allah, the Exalted, Himself. And the questioner’s saying (how can it be permissible for the follower to pray sitting) while it is authentically proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) through continuous chains from just narrators that he commanded (to pray sitting behind a sitting imam) and it is also proven from his action. This is the ignorance of the claimant, because according to all the experts of hadith, it is authentically proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he commanded to pray sitting when the imam leads the prayer sitting, and it is also established according to them that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed prayer sitting along with his companions, while none of the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) or any one of them was unable (all were able to pray sitting). There was not a group (all were able to pray sitting). A group has claimed its abrogation, but their claim is not proven by any such authentic narration which does not have any opposing or contradictory narration. Therefore, it is not permissible to oppose what is authentically proven by the command and action of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) until there is an authentic narration abrogating the command and action of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and such an abrogating narration is non-existent. The non-existence of such a narration invalidates the claim of that group of hadith scholars. Therefore, when the imam leads the prayer sitting, it is permissible for the followers to pray sitting behind the imam, according to the command and action of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). "And Allah is the Giver of success to the right path." (Allah alone grants the ability to follow the correct path.)