Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) rode a horse and fell down and the right side (of his body) was injured. He offered one of the prayers while sitting and we also prayed behind him sitting. When he completed the prayer, he said, "The Imam is to be followed. Pray standing if he prays standing and bow when he bows; rise when he rises; and if he says, 'Sami`a l-lahu-liman hamidah, say then, 'Rabbana wa laka lhamd' and pray standing if he prays standing and pray sitting (all of you) if he prays sitting." Humaid said: The saying of the Prophet (ﷺ) "Pray sitting, if he (Imam) prays sitting" was said in his former illness (during his early life) but the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed sitting afterwards (in the last illness) and the people were praying standing behind him and the Prophet (ﷺ) did not order them to sit. We should follow the latest actions of the Prophet.
Call to Prayers (Adhaan)
Sahih al-Bukhari - Hadith 689
Textual Analysis
This narration demonstrates the principle of following the Imam in congregational prayer. The Prophet (ﷺ) explicitly states that the congregation must synchronize their movements with the Imam - standing when he stands, bowing when he bows, and prostrating when he prostrates.
The initial instruction to pray sitting when the Imam prays sitting was given during an earlier illness, but the final practice of the Prophet shows that praying standing behind a sitting Imam is permissible, indicating the evolution of Islamic rulings based on changing circumstances.
Legal Principles Derived
The Imam's actions dictate the congregation's actions in prayer. This establishes the fundamental principle of following the Imam (iqtidā') in congregational prayers.
When responding to "Sami`a l-lahu liman hamidah" the congregation should say "Rabbana wa laka l-hamd" - this is the established sunnah.
The final actions of the Prophet (ﷺ) take precedence over earlier instructions, establishing the principle of naskh (abrogation) in Islamic jurisprudence where later revelations or practices supersede earlier ones.
Scholarly Commentary
Classical scholars like Imam Nawawi explain that this hadith establishes the obligation of following the Imam in all prayer postures. The congregation's prayer is invalid if they deliberately oppose the Imam's movements.
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in Fath al-Bari notes that the permissibility of praying standing behind a sitting Imam applies when the Imam has a valid excuse, such as illness. This demonstrates Islam's flexibility and consideration for human circumstances.
The concluding statement "We should follow the latest actions of the Prophet" establishes an important methodological principle in Islamic law - that the final practice of the Messenger (ﷺ) represents the perfected and abiding legislation.