Section: If some of the Imams in our time appoint a deputy, then his excuse ceases and he attends, is it permissible for him to act as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did with Abu Bakr? There are two narrations regarding this. The first is that he may not do so. Ahmad said in a narration by Abu Dawud: This was specific to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and not others, because this is a matter that contradicts qiyas (analogy); for the transfer of an Imam to being a follower, and the transfer of followers from one Imam to another, is not permissible except due to an excuse that necessitates it, and there is nothing in the presentation of the regular (ratib) Imam that necessitates this. As for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), he possessed a degree of virtue over others, and a magnitude of precedence, that no one else possesses. It is for this reason that Abu Bakr said: "It is not for the son of Abu Quhafah to stand before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)." The second [narration] is that it is permissible for others. Ahmad said in a narration by Abu al-Harith: Whoever does as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did should utter the takbir and sit beside the Imam, begin the recitation from where the Imam has reached, and lead the people in prayer while standing. This is because the principle is that what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did was permissible for his nation, unless evidence is established that it was specific to him. There is a third narration that this is not permissible except for the Caliph, not for the rest of the Imams. He said in the narration by al-Marwudhi: This is for no one except the Caliph, because the rank of the Caliphate exceeds the rank of all other Imams, so nothing else can be equated to it, and this was for the Caliph because the Caliph of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) takes his place.

Section: It is permissible for one who is unable to stand to lead those like him in prayer; for if he leads those who are capable of standing, then one like him is more appropriate. It is not a condition for their following him that he be a regular Imam, nor that his illness be expected to cease, because his leading them does not involve abandoning a pillar that one is capable of performing, unlike his leading those who are capable of standing.

Section: It is not permissible for one who abandons an active pillar to lead anyone in prayer, such as one who is lying down or one who is unable to perform bowing (ruku') and prostration (sujud). This is the opinion of Abu Hanifah and Malik. Al-Shafi'i said: It is permissible, for it is an action permitted by illness, so it does not change the ruling of following [the Imam], just as the one sitting [is followed] by the one standing. We argue that he...