“The Imam is appointed to be followed. When he says Allahu Akbar, then say Allahu Akbar; when he bows, then bow; when he says Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah, then say Rabbana wa lakal-hamd; when he prostrates then prostrate; and if he prays sitting down then pray sitting down.” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 1238)   

سَقَطَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مِنْ فَرَسٍ فَجُحِشَ شِقُّهُ الْأَيْمَنُ فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ نَعُودُهُ فَصَلَّى قَاعِدًا فَصَلَّيْنَا قُعُودًا فَلَمَّا قَضَى الصَّلَاةَ قَالَ إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الْإِمَامُ لِيُؤْتَمَّ بِهِ فَإِذَا كَبَّرَ فَكَبِّرُوا وَإِذَا رَكَعَ فَارْكَعُوا وَإِذَا قَالَ سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ فَقُولُوا رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ وَإِذَا صَلَّى قَاعِدًا فَصَلُّوا قُعُودًا أَجْمَعِينَ  

the Imam is appointed only to be followed ; so when he prays standing, pray standing, and when he bows, bow; when he raises himself, raise yourselves; when he says “Allah listen to him who praises Him”, “Our Lord ! to Thee be the praise”: and when he prays sitting all of you pray sitting. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 601)   

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ رَكِبَ فَرَسًا فَصُرِعَ عَنْهُ فَجُحِشَ شِقُّهُ الْأَيْمَنُ فَصَلَّى صَلَاةً مِنَ الصَّلَوَاتِ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ فَصَلَّيْنَا وَرَاءَهُ قُعُودًا فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قَالَ إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الْإِمَامُ لِيُؤْتَمَّ بِهِ فَإِذَا صَلَّى قَائِمًا فَصَلُّوا قِيَامًا وَإِذَا رَكَعَ فَارْكَعُوا وَإِذَا رَفَعَ فَارْفَعُوا وَإِذَا قَالَ سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ فَقُولُوا رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ وَإِذَا صَلَّى جَالِسًا فَصَلُّوا جُلُوسًا أَجْمَعِينَ أَخْرَجَاهُ فِي الصَّحِيحِ مِنْ حَدِيثِ مَالِكٍ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed in his house while sitting, and a group of people prayed behind him while standing. He gestured to them to sit, and when he finished, he said, "The Imam has been appointed to be followed. When he bows, you should all bow, and when he raises his head, you should all raise yours, and when he prays while sitting, you should all pray sitting." Al-Shafi'i added in his narration while he was doubtful, "and when he prays while sitting."  

صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فِي بَيْتِهِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ فَصَلَّى وَرَاءَهُ قَوْمٌ قِيَامًا فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اجْلِسُوا فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قَالَ إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الْإِمَامُ لِيُؤْتَمَّ بِهِ فَإِذَا رَكَعَ فَارْكَعُوا وَإِذَا رَفَعَ فَارْفَعُوا وَإِذَا صَلَّى جَالِسًا فَصَلُّوا جُلُوسًا زَادَ الشَّافِعِيُّ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ وَهُوَ شَاكٌّ فَصَلَّى جَالِسًا  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: The Imam is appointed, so that he should be followed, so don't be at variance with him. Recite takbir when he recites it; bow down when he bows down and when he says:" Allah listens to him who praises Him," say:" O Allah, our Lord, to Thee be the Praise." And when he (the Imam) prostrates, you should also prostrate, and when he says prayer sitting, you should all observe prayer sitting. (Using translation from Muslim 414a)   

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ وَفِي حَدِيثِ شُعَيْبٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّمَا الْإِمَامُ لِيُؤْتَمَّ بِهِ فَلَا تَخْتَلِفُوا عَلَيْهِ فَإِذَا كَبَّرَ فَكَبِّرُوا وَإِذَا رَكَعَ فَارْكَعُوا وَإِذَا قَالَ سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ فَقُولُوا اللهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ وَإِذَا سَجَدَ فَاسْجُدُوا وَإِذَا صَلَّى جَالِسًا فَصَلُّوا جُلُوسًا أَجْمَعِينَ  

[Machine] That the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed the takbeer (saying "Allahu Akbar" to start the prayer), and Abu Bakr followed him to make us hear. He looked at us while standing, gesturing to us to sit. When the prayer was finished, he said, "You almost did the act of the Persians and the Romans in their arrogance. Bring your Imams (leaders) to me. If they pray standing, then pray standing, and if they pray sitting, then pray sitting." This is the narration of Isma'il, and Dawud added in his narration that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ led us in the Dhuhr (noon) prayer, with Abu Bakr behind him. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made the takbeer, Abu Bakr also made the takbeer to make us hear.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ كَبَّرَ فَكَبَّرَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ خَلْفَهُ لِيُسْمِعَنَا فَبَصُرَ بِنَا قِيَامًا فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَيْنَا أَنِ اجْلِسُوا فَلَمَّا قَضَى الصَّلَاةَ قَالَ كِدْتُمْ أَنْ تَفْعَلُوا فِعْلَ فَارِسَ وَالرُّومِ لِعُظَمَائِهِمْ ائْتَمُّوا بِأَئِمَّتِكُمْ فَإِنْ صَلُّوا قِيَامًا فَصَلُّوا قِيَامًا وَإِنْ صَلُّوا جُلُوسًا فَصَلُّوا جُلُوسًا لَفْظُ حَدِيثِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَزَادَ دَاوُدُ فِي حَدِيثِهِ قَالَ صَلَّى بِنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ الظُّهْرَ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ خَلْفَهُ فَإِذَا كَبَّرَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ كَبَّرَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ لِيُسْمِعَنَا  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had a horse that stumbled on the trunk of a palm tree, so he got off and entered the house of Aisha. We then brought his horse back, and found him praying voluntary prayers while sitting. So we prayed while standing, then we approached him again and found him praying the obligatory prayers while sitting. He then told us to stand up, and gestured for us to sit, so we sat. Then he said, "When the Imam prays while sitting, then pray sitting. And when the Imam prays while standing, then pray standing. Do not do as the Persians do to their noble ones."  

رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ عَنْ فَرَسٍ لَهُ عَلَى جِذْعِ نَخْلَةٍ فَانْفَكَّتْ قَدَمُهُ فَقَعَدَ فِي بَيْتِ عَائِشَةَ ؓ فَأَتَيْنَاهُ نَعُودُهُ فَوَجَدْنَاهُ يُصَلِّي تَطَوُّعًا فَصَلَّى قَاعِدًا وَنَحْنُ قِيَامٌ ثُمَّ أَتَيْنَاهُ فَوَجَدْنَاهُ يُصَلِّي صَلَاةً مَكْتُوبَةً قَاعِدًا قَالَ فَقُمْنَا فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَيْنَا فَجَلَسْنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ ائْتَمُّوا بِالْإِمَامِ إِنْ صَلَّى قَاعِدًا فَصَلُّوا قُعُودًا وَإِنْ صَلَّى قَائِمًا فَصَلُّوا قِيَامًا وَلَا تَفْعَلُوا كَمَا تَفْعَلُ فَارِسَ لِعُظَمَائِهَا