Chapter: If The Imam Experiences An Excuse, From Illness, Or Travelling, Etc. He May Appoint Someone Else To Lead The People In Prayer; The One Who Offers Prayer Behind The Imam Sitting Because He Is Unable To Stand Must Stand If He Is Able To Do So; And The Abrogation Of Sitting Behind A Sitting Imam For Those Who Are Able To Stand

I visited 'A'isha and asked her to tell about the illness of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She agreed and said: The Apostle (ﷺ) was seriously ill and he asked whether the people had prayed. We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Put some water in the tub for me. We did accordingly and he (the Holy Prophet) took a bath;and, when he was about to move with difficulty, he fainted. When he came round, he again said: Have the people said prayer? We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. He (the Holy Prophet) again said: Put some water for me in the tub. We did accordingly and he took a bag, but when he was about to move with difficultyhe fainted. When he came round, he asked whether the people had prayed. We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. He said: Put some water for me in the tub. We did accordingly and he took a bath and he was about to move with difficulty when he fainted. When he came roundhe said: Have the people saidprayer? We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. She ('A'isha) said: The people were staying in the mosque and waiting for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to lead the last (night) prayer. She ('A'isha) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent (instructions) to Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. When the messenger came, he told him (Abd Bakr): The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has ordered you to lead the people in prayer. Abu Bakr who was a man of very tenderly feelings asked Umar to lead the prayer. 'Umar said: You are more entitled to that. Abu Bakr led the prayers during those days. Afterwards the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) felt some relief and he went out supported by two men, one of them was al-'Abbas, to the noon prayer. Abu Bakr was leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr saw him. he began to withdraw, but the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) told him not to withdraw. He told his two (companions) to seat him down beside him (Abu Bakr). They seated him by the side of Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr said the prayer standing while following the prayer of the Apostle (ﷺ) and the people Bald prayer (standing) while following the prayer of Abu Bakr. The Apostle (ﷺ) was seated. Ubaidullah said: I visited 'Abdullah b. 'Abbas, and said: Should I submit to you what 'A'isha had told about the illness of the Apostle (ﷺ)? He said: Go ahead. I submitted to him what had been transmitted by her ('A'isha). He objected to none of it, only asking whether she had named to him the man who accompanied al-'Abbas. I said: No. He said: It was 'Ali.

It was in the house ofMaimuna that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) first fell ill. He asked permission from his wives to stay in her ('A'isha's) house during his illness. They granted him permission. She ('A'isha) narrated: He (the Holy Prophet) went out (for prayer) with his hand over al-Fadl b. 'Abbas and on the other hand there was another person and (due to weakness) his feet dragged on the earth. 'Ubaidullah said: I narrated this hadith to the son of 'Abbas ('Abdullah b. 'Abbas) and he said: Do you know who the man was whose name 'A'isha did not mention? It was 'Ali.

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fell ill and his illness became serious, he asked permission from his wives to stay in my house during his illness. They gave him permission to do so. He stepped out (of'A'isha's apartment for prayer) supported by two persons. (He was so much weak) that his feet dragged on the ground and he was being supported by 'Abbas b. 'Abd al-Muttalib and another person. 'Ubaidullah said: I informed 'Abdullah (b. 'Abbas) about that which 'A'isha had said. 'Abdullah b. 'Abbas said: Do you know the man whose name 'A'isha did not mention? He said: No. Ibn 'Abbas said: It was 'Ali.

I tried to dissuade the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) from it (i. e. from appointing Abu Bakr as the Imam.) and my insistence upon it was not due to the fact that I entertained any apprehension in my mind that the people would not love the man who would occupy his (Prophet's) place (i. e. who would be appointed as his caliph) and I feared that the people would be superstitious about one who would occupy his place. I, therefore, desired that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) should leave Abu Bakr aside in this matter.

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to my house, he said: Ask Abu Bakr to lead people in prayer. 'A'isha narrated: I said, Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr is a man of tenderly feelings; as he recites the Qur'an, he cannot help shedding tears: so better command anyone else to lead the prayer. By Allah, there is nothing disturbing in it for me but the idea that the people may not takeevil omen with regard to one who is the first to occupy the place of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). I tried to dissuade him (the Holy Prophet) twice or thrice (from appointing my father as an Imam in prayer), but he ordered Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer and said: You women are like those (who had) surrounded Yusuf.

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was confined to bed, Bilal came to him to summon him to prayer. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Ask Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. She ('A'isha) reported: I said: Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr is a tenderhearted man, when he would stand at your place (he would be so overwhelmed by feelings) that he would not be able to make the people hear anything (his recitation would not be audible to the followers in prayer). You should better order Umar (to lead the prayer). He (the Holy Prophet) said: Ask Abu Bakr to lead people in prayer. She ('A'isha) said: I asked Hafsa to (convey) my impression to him (the Holy Prophet) that Abu Bakr was a tenderhearted man, so when he would stand at his place, he would not be able to make the people bear anything. He better order Umar. Hafsa conveyed this (message of Hadrat 'A'isha) to him (the Holy Prophet). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: (You are behaving) as if you are the females who had gathered around Yusuf. Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. She ('A'isha) reported: So Abu Bakr was ordered to lead the people in prayer. As the prayer began, the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) felt some relief; he got up and moved supported by two persons and his feet dragged on earth (due to excessive weakness). 'A'isha reported: As he (the Holy Prophet) entered the mosque. Abu Bakr perceived his (arrival). He was about to withdraw, but the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) by the gesture (of his hand) told him to keep standing at his place. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came and seated himself on the left side of Abu Bakr. She ('A'isha) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was leading people in prayer sitting. Abu Bakr was following the prayer of the Apostle (ﷺ) in a standing posture and the people were following the prayer of Abu Bakr.

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) suffered from illness of which he died, and in the hadith transmitted by Ibn Mus-hir, the words are: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was brought till he was seated by his (Abu Bakr's) side and the Apostle (ﷺ) led the people in prayer and Abu Bakr was making takbir audible to them, and in the hadith transmitted by 'Isa the (words are):" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat and led the people in prayer and Abu Bakr was by his side and he was making (takbir) audible to the people."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered Abu Bakr that he should lead people in prayer during his illness, and he led them in prayer. `Urwa said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) felt relief and went (to the mosque) and Abu Bakr was leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr saw him he began to withdraw, but the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) signaled him to remain where he was. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat opposite to Abu Bakr by his side. Abu Bakr said prayer following the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and the people said prayer following the prayer of Abu Bakr.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) breathed his last on that very day.

The last glance that I have had of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (before his death) was that when he on Monday drew the curtain aside. The hadith transmitted by Salih is perfect and complete.

This hadith is narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik by another chain of transmitters.

The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) did not come to us for three days. When the prayer was about to start. Abu Bakr stepped forward (to lead the prayer), and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) lifted the curtain. When the face of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) became visible to us, we (found) that no sight was more endearing to us than the face of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as it appeared to us. The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) with the gesture of his hand directed Abu Bakr to step forward (and lead the prayer). The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) then drew the curtain, and we could not see him till he died.

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) became ill and illness became serious he ordered Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. Upon this 'A'isha said: Messenger of Allah, Abd Bakr is a man of tenderly feelings: when he would stand in your place (he would be so much overwhelmed -by grief that) he would not be able to lead the people in prayer. He (the Holy Prophet) said: You order Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer, and added: You are like the female companions of Yusuf. So Abu Bakr led the prayer (during this period of illness) in the life of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).