Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) fell from a horse and the right side of his body was injured. We went to inquire about his health meanwhile it was time for the prayer and he led the prayer sitting and we also prayed while sitting. On completion of the prayer he said, "The Imam is to be followed; say Takbir when he says it; bow when he bows; rise when he rises and when he says "Sami`a l-lahu liman hamidah," say, "Rabbana wa laka l-hamd", and prostrate if he prostrates." Sufyan narrated the same from Ma`mar. Ibn Juraij said that his (the Prophet's) right leg had been injured.
The Incident and Its Context
This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 805) recounts a significant incident where the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) sustained an injury after falling from a horse, specifically injuring his right side. Despite his physical discomfort, he continued to fulfill his religious duties, demonstrating the importance of prayer and leadership even in adversity.
The companions, concerned for his well-being, came to visit him. It was during this visit that the time for prayer arrived, providing a practical lesson in Islamic jurisprudence regarding prayer leadership and congregation etiquette.
Scholarly Commentary on Prayer Leadership
The Prophet's action of leading prayer while sitting due to his injury establishes a fundamental principle in Islamic law: when the imam prays in a sitting position out of necessity, the congregation must follow his lead and pray sitting as well. This demonstrates the binding nature of the imam's actions upon the followers in congregational prayer.
This ruling applies regardless of the congregation's ability to stand, emphasizing the importance of unity in prayer formation and following the imam's lead in all prayer postures.
Detailed Prayer Etiquette
The Prophet's explicit instruction provides comprehensive guidance: "Say Takbir when he says it; bow when he bows; rise when he rises and when he says 'Sami`a l-lahu liman hamidah,' say, 'Rabbana wa laka l-hamd', and prostrate if he prostrates."
This establishes the fundamental principle of following the imam in every action of the prayer without preceding or lagging significantly behind him. The congregation's actions should synchronize with the imam's movements and recitations.
Jurisprudential Implications
Classical scholars derive from this hadith that the legitimacy of the congregation's prayer is tied to following the imam's actions. This applies to all prayer postures - standing, bowing, prostrating, and sitting.
The narration also demonstrates the Prophet's concern for proper teaching and clarification, as he took the opportunity after prayer to explicitly state the rules of following an imam, ensuring his companions understood this important aspect of congregational prayer.