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English translation
794. Sahl bin Sa'd said: "There was some fighting among Banu 'Amr bin 'Awf, and news of that reached the Prophet ﷺ. He prayed Zuhr, then he went to them to
reconcile between them. Then he said to Bilâl: 'O Bilâl, if the time for 'Asr comes and I have not come back, then tell Abû Bakr to lead the people in prayer.' When the time (for 'Asr) came, Bilâl called the Adhân, then the Iqâmah, then he said to Abû Bakr: 'Go forward. So Abû Bakr went forward and started to pray. Then the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ came and started passing through the rows of people until he stood behind Abû Bakr, and the people clapped. Abû Bakr was such that whenever he started praying, he would never glance sideways, but when he noticed that the clapping persisted he turned around. The Messenger of Allâh ﷺ gestured to him to carry on praying. Abû Bakr praised Allâh the Mighty and Sublime for the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ having told him to continue. Then Abû Bakr moved backward on his heels, and when the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ saw that, he came forward and led the people in prayer. When he completed the prayer he said: 'O Abû Bakr, when I gestured to you, what kept you from continuing (to lead the people)?' He said: 'It does not befit the son of Abû Quhâfah to lead the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ in prayer.' And he (the Prophet ﷺ) said to the people: 'If you notice something (during the prayer), men should say Subhân Allâh and women should clap.'" (Sahîh)
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Commentary
A solitary person should not glance around during the prayer. But the prayer-leader should also remain attentive toward his followers. Likewise, the followers should also remain attentive toward the prayer-leader, so that the congregational prayer might be performed in its true sense. For further details, see Hadīth 785.
