Congregational prayer is one of Islam’s central expressions of communal life. The imam holds a central position as the leader whom the congregation follows.
For this reason, Muslim scholars have long discussed who has the strongest right to lead prayer and what conditions an imam must meet. They have also examined what happens when an imam is unable to stand and must lead the prayer while seated.
In everyday life, worshippers may encounter mosque imams who are elderly, recovering from surgery, or living with an illness that makes standing for long periods difficult. So, is the prayer they lead still valid? And did the Prophet Muhammad ever do the same?
The answer is yes. Islamic tradition contains clear evidence from the Prophet’s practice.
In Islam, standing is a required element of prayer for those who are able to stand. However, Islamic law also grants concessions to people with legitimate physical limitations. The Prophet said to Imran ibn Husayn, who was ill:
عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: كَانَتْ بِي بَوَاسِيرُ، فَسَأَلْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ، فَقَالَ: صَلِّ قَائِمًا، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ فَقَاعِدًا، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَى جَنْبٍ.
Meaning: Imran ibn Husayn reported: “I suffered from hemorrhoids and asked the Prophet about how I should pray. He said, ‘Pray standing. If you cannot, then pray sitting. If you still cannot, then pray lying on your side.’” (HR. al-Bukhari).
This hadith establishes a key principle: the obligation to stand no longer applies when a person genuinely cannot do so. The same concession applies to anyone, including an imam.
The Prophet Muhammad himself once led his Companions while seated because of illness. Aisyah reported:
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: اشْتَكَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ نَاسٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ يَعُودُونَهُ، فَصَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ جَالِسًا، وَصَلَّوْا قِيَامًا، فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَنْ اجْلِسُوا، فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قَالَ: إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الإِمَامُ لِيُؤْتَمَّ بِهِ، فَإِذَا رَكَعَ فَارْكَعُوا، وَإِذَا رَفَعَ فَارْفَعُوا، وَإِذَا صَلَّى جَالِسًا فَصَلُّوا جُلُوسًا.
Meaning: Aisyah reported that the Prophet once fell ill. Several Companions visited him, and he led them in prayer while seated. They initially prayed standing, so he gestured for them to sit. After the prayer, he said, “The imam is appointed to be followed. When he bows, bow. When he rises, rise. And when he prays while seated, pray while seated.” (HR. al-Bukhari and Muslim).
This report shows that the Prophet himself led prayer while seated because of illness. Therefore, an imam praying while seated is not an innovation. Rather, the practice has a strong basis in the Sunnah.
When Should the Congregation Sit?
At the same time, the Prophet also instructed those who were healthy to pray standing. Abu Hurairah reported:
وَإِذَا صَلَّى قَائِمًا فَصَلُّوا قِيَامًا، وَإِذَا صَلَّى قَاعِدًا فَصَلُّوا قُعُودًا أَجْمَعُونَ.
Meaning: “When the imam prays standing, pray standing. And when he prays while seated, then all of you should pray while seated.” (HR. Muslim).
Scholars later examined how these reports should be understood alongside the Prophet’s practice during his final illness. On that occasion, his Companions remained standing behind him. Several schools of Islamic jurisprudence emerged from this discussion. The majority of scholars hold that worshippers who are physically able should remain standing when an imam sits because of illness. Some scholars, however, understand the earlier hadith to mean that the congregation should also sit. This difference represents a longstanding area of ijtihad, or independent legal reasoning, within Islamic jurisprudence.
The question of who should lead prayer also has its own guidelines. The Prophet explained that the person with the strongest claim to lead is the one with the best knowledge and recitation of the Quran. If they are equal in recitation, preference goes to the person with greater knowledge of the Sunnah. If they are equal there, preference goes to the one who migrated earlier, followed by the oldest in age.
يَؤُمُّ الْقَوْمَ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ سَوَاءً فَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِالسُّنَّةِ، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي السُّنَّةِ سَوَاءً فَأَقْدَمُهُمْ هِجْرَةً، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْهِجْرَةِ سَوَاءً فَأَكْبَرُهُمْ سِنًّا.
Meaning: “The one who should lead a people in prayer is the one who recites the Book of Allah best. If they are equal in recitation, then the one most knowledgeable about the Sunnah. If they are equal in knowledge of the Sunnah, then the one who migrated earlier. If they are equal in migration, then the oldest among them.” (HR. Muslim).
This hadith shows that the primary qualification for an imam is not physical ability but knowledge and suitability to lead the prayer.
Therefore, a scholar or imam with stronger Quranic recitation and religious knowledge may still lead congregational prayer while seated because of illness or advanced age.
Reference:
Council for Religious Opinion and Reform of the Muhammadiyah Central Board, “Hukum Mengimami Shalat dalam Keadaan Duduk”, Suara Muhammadiyah Magazine, Ed. 108, 2023.
