begins the prayer sitting, and the second refers to when he begins the prayer standing and then falls ill and sits. Whenever it is possible to reconcile between two hadiths, it is mandatory to do so, and they should not be interpreted as one abrogating the other. Furthermore, it is possible that Abu Bakr was the Imam. Ibn al-Mundhir said: In some reports, it is stated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) led the people in prayer, while in others, it is stated that Abu Bakr was the Imam. Aisha said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed behind Abu Bakr during his final illness while sitting (10). Anas said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed [during his illness] (11) behind Abu Bakr while sitting, wrapped in a garment (12). Al-Tirmidhi said: Both hadiths are hasan (good) and sahih (authentic) (13), and no prayer of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) behind Abu Bakr is known except in this hadith. Malik narrated the hadith from Rabi'ah and said: Abu Bakr was the Imam, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed by the prayer of Abu Bakr. He said: "No prophet dies until a man from his nation leads him in prayer" (15). Malik said: The practice among us is according to this hadith of Rabi'ah, and it is more beloved to me. If it is said: If Abu Bakr were the Imam, he would have been to the left of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), we reply: It is possible that he did that because there was a row behind him.

Section: If they pray behind him while standing, there are two views regarding it: The first is that their prayer is invalid. Ahmad indicated this, for he said: If the Imam prays sitting and those behind him are standing, they have not followed the Imam; rather, their following him is when he prays sitting and they pray sitting. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded them to sit and forbade them from standing, saying in the hadith of Jabir: "If the Imam prays sitting, then pray sitting, and if he prays standing, then pray standing; do not stand while the Imam is sitting, as the people of Persia do with their dignitaries." So we sat, and the command implies obligation, and the prohibition implies the invalidity...