and the other intends his leadership, it is valid; because it is in the meaning of succession, and whoever did not permit succession did not permit this. If the Imam of the neighborhood is absent from the prayer due to travel, illness, or an excuse, and someone else leads the prayer, and the Imam of the neighborhood arrives during the prayer, and the Imam [who was leading] steps back and the Imam of the neighborhood moves forward and builds upon the prayer of his successor, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and Abu Bakr did, there are two views regarding this: First, it is permissible, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did it, so it is permissible for others to do as he did. Second, it is not permissible, because it is possible that this was exclusive to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), due to the lack of others' equality with him in virtue.

Section: If an invalidator is found in the follower but not the Imam, such as if the follower is in a state of ritual impurity or has impurity on him and did not know of it until after finishing the prayer, or if impurity occurred to him during the prayer, or he laughed [or spoke], or he omitted a pillar, or other such invalidators, and there was no one with the Imam with whom the prayer could be established other than him, the analogy of the school is that his ruling is the same as the ruling of the Imam with him regarding what we have detailed; because the connection of the Imam's prayer with the follower is like the connection of the follower's prayer with the Imam. Thus, what was invalidated there is invalidated here, and what was valid there is valid here. And Allah knows best.

Section: Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, said regarding two men, one of whom led the other in prayer, and each of them smelled a scent or heard a sound and believed it was from his companion; and each says it was not from me: They both perform ablution and pray; their prayer was invalidated only because each of them believes