The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to Banu Amr bin Awf to reconcile between them, and the time for prayer arrived. The muezzin came to Abu Bakr and asked, "Shall I call the iqamah for you to lead the people in prayer?"He replied, "Yes."So Abu Bakr began the prayer. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived while the people were praying. He made his way through until he stood in the row, and the people began to clap. Abu Bakr would not turn around during the prayer, but when the people clapped insistently, he turned and saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gestured to him to remain in his place. Abu Bakr raised his hands and praised Allah for what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had commanded him. Then Abu Bakr stepped back until he was aligned with the row, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stepped forward.When he finished, he said, "Abu Bakr, what prevented you from staying in your place when I ordered you to?"Abu Bakr replied, "It was not for the son of Abu Quhafa to lead the prayer in front of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said, "Why did I see you clapping so much? Whoever is faced with something during his prayer should say 'Subhan Allah,' for when he says it, attention will be drawn to him. Clapping is only for women."
حدثنا القعنبي عن مالك عن أبي حازم بن دينار
أن رسول الله ﷺ ذهب إلى بني عمرو بن عوف ليصلح بينهم وحانت الصلاة فجاء المؤذن إلى أبي بكر رضي الله عنه فقال أتصلي بالناس فأقيم قال نعم فصلى أبو بكر فجاء رسول الله ﷺ والناس في الصلاة فتخلص حتى وقف في الصف فصفق الناس وكان أبو بكر لا يلتفت في الصلاة فلما أكثر الناس التصفيق التفت فرأى رسول الله ﷺ فأشار إليه رسول الله ﷺ أن امكث مكانك فرفع أبو بكر يديه فحمد الله على ما أمره به رسول الله ﷺ من ذلك ثم استأخر أبو بكر حتى استوى في الصف وتقدم رسول الله ﷺ فلما انصرف قال يا أبا بكر ما منعك أن تثبت إذ أمرتك قال أبو بكر ما كان لابن أبي قحافة أن يصلي بين يدي رسول الله ﷺ فقال رسول الله ﷺ ما لي رأيتكم أكثرتم من التصفيح من نابه شيء في صلاته فليسبح فإنه إذا سبح التفت إليه وإنما التصفيح للنساء
Bukhari reported it, Adhan, chapter on one who enters to lead the people in prayer and then the original imam arrives, etc., no. 421 and no. 684. Muslim also reported it, Prayer, chapter on the congregation putting forward someone to lead them in prayer when the imam is delayed, from the hadith of Malik through this same chain. It is found in Muwatta (Yahya): 163/1, 164 (and Qanabi, p. 112, 113).