عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَاصِ
قَالَ: آخِرُ مَا عَهِدَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا أَمَمْتَ قَوْمًا فَأَخِفَّ بِهِمُ الصَّلَاةَ» وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ لَهُ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَهُ: «أُمَّ قَوْمَكَ».
قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَجِدُ فِي نَفْسِي شَيْئًا. قَالَ: «ادْنُهْ». فَأَجْلَسَنِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ كَفَّهُ فِي صَدْرِي بَيْنَ ثَدْيَيَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «تَحَوَّلْ». فَوَضَعَهَا فِي ظَهْرِي بَيْنَ كَتِفَيَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أُمَّ قَوْمَكَ فَمَنْ أَمَّ قَوْمًا فَلْيُخَفِّفْ فَإِنَّ فيهم الْكَبِير وَإِن فيهم الْمَرِيض وَإِن فيهم الضَّعِيف وَإِن فهيم ذاالحاجة فَإِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ وَحْدَهُ فَلْيُصَلِّ كَيْفَ شَاءَ»
Uthman ibn Abul ‘As said that the last command God’s messenger gave him was, ‘When you act as imam for people, make the prayer short.’ Muslim transmitted it. In a version by him it says that God’s messenger said to him, ‘Act as imam for your people’ to which he said he replied, ‘Messenger of God, I find a defect in myself.’ Telling him to come near and making him sit down in front of him, he placed his hand on his breast between his nipples; then telling him to turn round, he placed it on his back between his shoulders.
He then said, ‘Act as imam for your people. Whoever acts as imam for people must be brief, for among them are the aged, among them are the sick, among them are the weak, and among them are people who have business to do. But when any of you prays alone he may pray as he likes.’’