Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
Qurʾān Bukhārī Muslim Nasāʾī Abū Dāwūd Tirmidhī Ibn Mājah Mālik Aḥmad Dārimī Ḥākim Ibn Ḥibbān Ṭabarānī Nasāʾī's Kubrá Bayhaqī al-Luʾluʾ wa-al-Marjān Ibn Rajab's Fifty Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn Aḥmad's Zuhd Suyūṭī
muslim:413a – [Chain 1] Qutaybah b. Saʿīd > Layth [Chain 2] Muḥammad b. Rumḥ > al-Layth > Abū al-Zubayr > Jābir

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was ill and we said prayer behind him and he was sitting. And Abu Bakr was making audible to the people his takbir. As he paid his attention towards us he saw us standing and (directed us to sit down) with a gesture. So we sat down and said our prayer with his prayer in a sitting posture. After uttering salutation he said: You were at this time about to do an act like that of the Persians and the Romans. They stand before their kings while they sit, so don't do that; follow your Imams. If they say prayer standing, you should also do so, and if they say prayer sitting, you should also say prayer sitting.  

مسلم:٤١٣a – حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحٍ أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ

اشْتَكَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَصَلَّيْنَا وَرَاءَهُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ يُسْمِعُ النَّاسَ تَكْبِيرَهُ فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيْنَا فَرَآنَا قِيَامًا فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْنَا فَقَعَدْنَا فَصَلَّيْنَا بِصَلاَتِهِ قُعُودًا فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنْ كِدْتُمْ آنِفًِا لَتَفْعَلُونَ فِعْلَ فَارِسَ وَالرُّومِ يَقُومُونَ عَلَى مُلُوكِهِمْ وَهُمْ قُعُودٌ فَلاَ تَفْعَلُوا ائْتَمُّوا بِأَئِمَّتِكُمْ إِنْ صَلَّى قَائِمًا فَصَلُّوا قِيَامًا وَإِنْ صَلَّى قَاعِدًا فَصَلُّوا قُعُودًا  

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Nasāʾī, Ibn Mājah, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Bayhaqī, Suyūṭī
nasai:1200 – Qutaybah > al-Layth > Abū al-Zubayr > Jābir

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was ill, and we prayed behind him while he was sitting, and Abu Bakr repeated his takbirs so that the people could hear them. He turned to us and saw us standing, so he gestured to us to sit down. So we prayed behind him sitting. When he said the salam he said: 'Just now you were doing what the Persians and Romans do for their kings when they are sitting. Do not do that. Follow your Imams: If they pray standing then pray standing, and if they pray sitting then pray sitting.'"  

النسائي:١٢٠٠ – أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ

أَنَّهُ قَالَ اشْتَكَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَصَلَّيْنَا وَرَاءَهُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ يُكَبِّرُ يُسْمِعُ النَّاسَ تَكْبِيرَهُ فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيْنَا فَرَآنَا قِيَامًا فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْنَا فَقَعَدْنَا فَصَلَّيْنَا بِصَلاَتِهِ قُعُودًا فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ آنِفًا تَفْعَلُونَ فِعْلَ فَارِسَ وَالرُّومِ يَقُومُونَ عَلَى مُلُوكِهِمْ وَهُمْ قُعُودٌ فَلاَ تَفْعَلُوا ائْتَمُّوا بِأَئِمَّتِكُمْ إِنْ صَلَّى قَائِمًا فَصَلُّوا قِيَامًا وَإِنْ صَلَّى قَاعِدًا فَصَلُّوا قُعُودًا  

ibnmajah:1240 – Muḥammad b. Rumḥ al-Miṣrī > al-Layth b. Saʿd > Abū al-Zubayr > Jābir

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell ill, and we prayed behind him while he was sitting down, and Abu Bakr was saying the Takbir so that the people could hear them. He turned to us and saw us standing, so he gestured to us to sit down. When he had said the Salam, he said: ‘You were about to do the action of the Persians and Romans, who remain standing while their kings are seated. Do not do that. Follow the lead of your Imam; if he prays standing, then pray standing, and if he prays sitting down, then pray sitting down.’”  

ابن ماجة:١٢٤٠ – حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحٍ الْمِصْرِيُّ أَنْبَأَنَا اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ

اشْتَكَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَصَلَّيْنَا وَرَاءَهُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ يُكَبِّرُ يُسْمِعُ النَّاسَ تَكْبِيرَهُ فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيْنَا فَرَآنَا قِيَامًا فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْنَا فَقَعَدْنَا فَصَلَّيْنَا بِصَلاَتِهِ قُعُودًا فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنْ كِدْتُمْ أَنْ تَفْعَلُوا فِعْلَ فَارِسَ وَالرُّومِ يَقُومُونَ عَلَى مُلُوكِهِمْ وَهُمْ قُعُودٌ فَلاَ تَفْعَلُوا ائْتَمُّوا بِأَئِمَّتِكُمْ إِنْ صَلَّى قَائِمًا فَصَلُّوا قِيَامًا وَإِنْ صَلَّى قَاعِدًا فَصَلُّوا قُعُودًا  

ahmad:14590 – Yūnus And Ḥujayn > Layth > Abū al-Zubayr > Jābir

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell ill, and we prayed behind him while he was sitting down, and Abu Bakr was saying the Takbir so that the people could hear them. He turned to us and saw us standing, so he gestured to us to sit down. When he had said the Salam, he said: ‘You were about to do the action of the Persians and Romans, who remain standing while their kings are seated. Do not do that. Follow the lead of your Imam; if he prays standing, then pray standing, and if he prays sitting down, then pray sitting down.’” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 1240)  

أحمد:١٤٥٩٠ – حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ وَحُجَيْنٌ حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ

اشْتَكَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَصَلَّيْنَا وَرَاءَهُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ يُكَبِّرُ يُسْمِعُ النَّاسَ تَكْبِيرَهُ فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيْنَا فَرَآنَاقِيَامًا فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْنَا فَقَعَدْنَا فَصَلَّيْنَا بِصَلَاتِهِ قُعُودًا فَلَمَّا صَلَّى قَالَ إِنْ كِدْتُمْ آنِفًا تَفْعَلُونَ فِعْلَ فَارِسَ وَالرُّومِ يَقُومُونَ عَلَى مُلُوكِهِمْ وَهُمْ قُعُودٌ فَلَا تَفْعَلُوا ائْتَمُّوا بِأَئِمَّتِكُمْ إِنْ صَلَّى قَائِمًا فَصَلُّوا قِيَامًا وَإِنْ صَلَّى قَاعِدًا فَصَلُّوا قُعُودًا  

ذِكْرُ الْخَبَرِ الْمُفَسِّرِ لِلْأَلْفَاظِ الْمُجْمَلَةِ الَّتِي تَقَدَّمَ ذِكْرُنَا لَهَا فِي خَبَرِ عَائِشَةَ

ibnhibban:2122 – Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan b. Qutaybah > Yazīd b. Mawhib > al-Layth b. Saʿd > Abū al-Zubayr > Jābir

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell ill, and we prayed behind him while he was sitting down, and Abu Bakr was saying the Takbir so that the people could hear them. He turned to us and saw us standing, so he gestured to us to sit down. When he had said the Salam, he said: ‘You were about to do the action of the Persians and Romans, who remain standing while their kings are seated. Do not do that. Follow the lead of your Imam; if he prays standing, then pray standing, and if he prays sitting down, then pray sitting down.’” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 1240)  

ابن حبّان:٢١٢٢ – أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ قُتَيْبَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ مَوْهِبٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ

اشْتَكَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَصَلَّيْنَا وَرَاءَهُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ يُكَبِّرُ يُسْمِعُ النَّاسَ تَكْبِيرَهُ قَالَ فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيْنَا فَرَآنَا قِيَامًا فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْنَا فَقَعَدْنَا فَصَلَّيْنَا بِصَلَاتِهِ قُعُودًا فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ قَالَ «كِدْتُمْ أَنْ تَفْعَلُوا فِعْلَ فَارِسَ وَالرُّومَ يَقُومُونَ عَلَى مُلُوكِهِمْ وَهُمْ قُعُودٌ فَلَا تَفْعَلُوا ائْتَمُّوا بِإِمَامِكُمْ إِنْ صَلَّى قَائِمًا فَصَلُّوا قِيَامًا وَإِنْ صَلَّى قَاعِدًا فَصَلُّوا قُعُودًا»  

nasai-kubra:1124 – Qutaybah b. Saʿīd > al-Layth > Abū al-Zubayr > Jābir

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell ill, and we prayed behind him while he was sitting down, and Abu Bakr was saying the Takbir so that the people could hear them. He turned to us and saw us standing, so he gestured to us to sit down. When he had said the Salam, he said: ‘You were about to do the action of the Persians and Romans, who remain standing while their kings are seated. Do not do that. Follow the lead of your Imam; if he prays standing, then pray standing, and if he prays sitting down, then pray sitting down.’” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 1240)  

الكبرى للنسائي:١١٢٤ – أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ

أَنَّهُ قَالَ اشْتَكَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَصَلَّيْنَا وَرَاءَهُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ يُكَبِّرُ يُسْمَعُ النَّاسُ تَكْبِيرَهُ فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيْنَا فَرَآنَا قِيَامًا فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْنَا وَقَعَدْنَا فَصَلَّيْنَا بِصَلَاتِهِ قُعُودًا فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ قَالَ «إِنَّ كِدْتُمْ آنِفًا تَفْعَلُونَ فِعْلَ فَارِسَ وَالرُّومِ يَقُومُونَ عَلَى مُلُوكِهِمْ وَهُمْ قَعُودٌ فَلَا تَفْعَلُوا ائْتَمُّوا بِأَئِمَّتِكُمْ إِنْ صَلَّى قَائِمًا فَصَلَّوْا قِيَامًا وَإِنَّ صَلَّى قَاعِدًا فَصَلَّوْا قُعُودًا»  

nasai-kubra:540 – Qutaybah b. Saʿīd > al-Layth > Abū al-Zubayr > Jābir

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell ill, and we prayed behind him while he was sitting down, and Abu Bakr was saying the Takbir so that the people could hear them. He turned to us and saw us standing, so he gestured to us to sit down. When he had said the Salam, he said: ‘You were about to do the action of the Persians and Romans, who remain standing while their kings are seated. Do not do that. Follow the lead of your Imam; if he prays standing, then pray standing, and if he prays sitting down, then pray sitting down.’” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 1240)  

الكبرى للنسائي:٥٤٠ – أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ

أَنَّهُ قَالَ اشْتَكَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَصَلَّيْنَا وَرَاءَهُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ يُكَبِّرُ وَيُسْمِعُ النَّاسَ تَكْبِيرَهُ فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيْنَا فَرَآنَا قِيَامًا فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْنَا فَقَعَدْنَا فَصَلَّيْنَا بِصَلَاتِهِ قُعُودًا فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ قَالَ «إِنْ كِدْتُمْ آنِفًا لَتَفْعَلُونَ فِعْلَ فَارِسٍ وَالرُّومِ يَقُومُونَ عَلَى مُلُوكِهِمْ وَهُمْ قُعُودٌ فَلَا تَفْعَلُوا ائْتَمُّوا بِأَئِمَّتِكُمْ إِنْ صَلَّى قَائِمًا فَصَلَّوْا قِيَامًا وَإِنْ صَلَّى قَاعِدًا فَصَلَّوْا قُعُودًا»  

bayhaqi:5935 – Abū Ṣāliḥ b. Abū Ṭāhir al-ʿAnbarī > Jaddī Yaḥyá b. Manṣūr al-Qāḍī > Muḥammad b. Ismāʿīl al-Ismāʿīlī > ʿĪsá b. Ḥammād > al-Layth b. Saʿd > Abū al-Zubayr > Jābir

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell ill, and we prayed behind him while he was sitting down, and Abu Bakr was saying the Takbir so that the people could hear them. He turned to us and saw us standing, so he gestured to us to sit down. When he had said the Salam, he said: ‘You were about to do the action of the Persians and Romans, who remain standing while their kings are seated. Do not do that. Follow the lead of your Imam; if he prays standing, then pray standing, and if he prays sitting down, then pray sitting down.’” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 1240)   

البيهقي:٥٩٣٥ – أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو صَالِحِ بْنُ أَبِي طَاهِرٍ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ ثنا جَدِّي يَحْيَى بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ الْقَاضِي ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الْإِسْمَاعِيلِيُّ ثنا عِيسَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ أنبأ اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ

أَنَّهُ قَالَ اشْتَكَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَصَلَّيْنَا وَرَاءَهُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ يُكَبِّرُ لِيُسْمِعَ النَّاسَ تَكْبِيرَهُ فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيْنَا فَرَآنَا قِيَامًا فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْنَا فَقَعَدْنَا فَصَلَّيْنَا بِصَلَاتِهِ قُعُودًا فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنْ كِدْتُمْ آنِفًا تَفْعَلُونَ فِعْلَ فَارِسَ وَالرُّومِ؛ يَقُومُونَ عَلَى مُلُوكِهِمْ وَهُمْ قُعُودٌ فَلَا تَفْعَلُوا ائْتَمُّوا بِأَئِمَّتِكُمْ إِنْ صَلَّى قَائِمًا فَصَلُّوا قِيَامًا وَإِنْ صَلَّى قَاعِدًا فَصَلُّوا قُعُودًا  

رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ قُتَيْبَةَ عَنِ اللَّيْثِ
suyuti:8421a –
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السيوطي:٨٤٢١a –

"إِنْ كُنْتُمْ آنِفًا تَفْعَلُون فعْل فَارِسَ والرُّومِ يَقُومُونَ عَلَى مُلوكهِمْ وَهُمْ قُعُودٌ فَلا تَفْعَلُوا: ائتَمُّوا بأَئمتكم: إِنْ صَلَّى قَائمًا فَصَلُّوا قيَامًا، وَإنْ صلَّى قَاعدًا فَصَلُّوا قُعُودًا" .  

[ن] النسائي [هـ] ابن ماجة عن جابر