When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ grew seriously ill, Bilal came to call him to prayer. He said, "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer."I said, "Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr is a tender-hearted man. Whenever he stands in your place, he cannot make the people hear him because of his weeping. Why not order Umar instead?"He said, "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer."So I said to Hafsah, "Tell him." She told him, and he said, "You women are indeed like the women who surrounded Yusuf. Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer."So they instructed Abu Bakr. When he had begun the prayer, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ felt some relief in himself, so he rose, supported between two men, with his feet dragging along the ground. When he entered the mosque, Abu Bakr heard the sound of his approach and began to step back, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gestured to him to remain where he was.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then came and sat down on Abu Bakr's left. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ led the people in prayer seated, while Abu Bakr stood, following the Prophet's prayer, and the people followed Abu Bakr's prayer.
أخبرنا محمد بن العلاء قال حدثنا أبو معاوية عن الأعمش عن إبراهيم عن الأسود
لما ثقل رسول الله ﷺ جاء بلال يؤذنه بالصلاة فقال مروا أبا بكر فليصل بالناس قالت قلت يا رسول الله إن أبا بكر رجل أسيف وإنه متى يقوم في مقامك لا يسمع الناس فلو أمرت عمر فقال مروا أبا بكر فليصل بالناس فقلت لحفصة قولي له فقالت له فقال إنكن لأنتن صواحبات يوسف مروا أبا بكر فليصل بالناس قالت فأمروا أبا بكر فلما دخل في الصلاة وجد رسول الله ﷺ من نفسه خفة قالت فقام يهادى بين رجلين ورجلاه تخطان في الأرض فلما دخل المسجد سمع أبو بكر حسه فذهب ليتأخر فأومأ إليه رسول الله ﷺ أن قم كما أنت قالت فجاء رسول الله ﷺ حتى قام عن يسار أبي بكر جالسا فكان رسول الله ﷺ يصلي بالناس جالسا وأبو بكر قائما يقتدي أبو بكر برسول الله ﷺ والناس يقتدون بصلاة أبي بكر رضي الله عنه
Bukhari transmitted it, in Adhan, chapter "A man following the imam and the people following the one being followed," hadith 713, and Muslim, in Prayer, chapter "The imam appointing a deputy when an excuse arises for him," etc., hadith 95/418, from the hadith of Abu Muawiya al-Darir, and it is in Kubra, hadith 907.