Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ rode a horse in Madina. It threw him off at the root of a date-palm. His foot was injured. We visited him to inquire about his illness. We found him praying sitting in the apartment of Aishah. We, therefore, stood, (praying) behind him. He kept silent. We again visited him to inquire about his illness. He offered the obligatory prayer sitting. We, therefore, stood (praying) behind him; he made a sign to us and we sat down. When he finished the prayer, he said: When the imam prays sitting, pray sitting; and when the imam prays standing, pray standing, and do not act as the people of Persia used to act with their chiefs (i. e. the people stood and they were sitting).

Anas bin Malik said; The Messenger of Allah ﷺ rode a horse and was thrown off it and his right was grazed. He then prayed one of the prayers sitting and we prayed one of the prayers sitting, and when he finished he said: 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.

Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet ﷺ said: The imam is appointed only to be followed; when he says "Allah is most great, " say "Allah is most great" and do not say "Allah is most great" until he says "Allah is most great. " When he bows; bow; and do not bow until he bows. And when he says "Allah listens to him who praise Him, " say "O Allah, our Lord, to Thee be the praise. " The version recorded by Muslim goes: "And to Thee be the praise: And when he prostrate; and do not prostrate until he prostrates. When he prays standing, pray standing, and when he prays sitting, all of you pray sitting. Abu Dawud said: The words "O Allah, our Lord, to You be the praise" reported by Sulaiman were explained to me by some of our companions.

Aishah said; The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed in his house sitting and the people prayed behind him standing. He made a sign to them (asking them) to sit down. When he finished the prayer, he said: The IMAM is appointed only to be followed; so when he prays standing. Pray standing ; and when he raises himself, raise yourself: and when he prays sitting. Pray sitting.

Husain reported on the authority of the children of Saad bin Muadh that Usaid bin Hudair used to act as their Imam. (when he fell ill) the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to him inquiring about his illness. They said: Messenger of Allah, our Imam is ill. He said: When he prays sitting, pray sitting. Abu Dawud said: The chain of this tradition is not continuous (muttasil)