The imam may appoint someone to lead prayer in his absence

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to Banu Amr ibn Awf to reconcile between them. The time for prayer arrived, so the muadhdhin came to Abu Bakr and said, “Will you lead the people in prayer so that I may call the iqamah?” He said, “Yes,” and Abu Bakr led the prayer. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came while the people were in prayer, and he moved through until he stood in the row. The people began clapping, and Abu Bakr would not turn around during his prayer. When the people clapped more, he turned and saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gestured to him to remain in his place, so Abu Bakr ᴿᴬ raised his hands and praised Allah for what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had instructed him to do. Then Abu Bakr stepped back until he was level in the row, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came forward and led the prayer.

When he finished, he said: "O Abu Bakr, what prevented you from remaining when I instructed you?" Abu Bakr said, “It was not for the son of Abu Quhafah to pray 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 troubled by something in his prayer should say subhan Allah, for when he says subhan Allah, attention will be turned to him. Clapping is only for women."

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ ذَهَبَ إِلَى بَنِي عَمْرِو بْنِ عَوْفٍ لِيُصْلِحَ بَيْنَهُمْ، فَحَانَتِ الصَّلاَةُ، فَجَاءَ الْمُؤَذِّنُ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ، فَقَالَ: أَتُصَلِّي لِلنَّاسِ فَأُقِيمَ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، فَصَلَّى أَبُو بَكْرٍ، فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالنَّاسُ فِي الصَّلاَةِ، فَتَخَلَّصَ حَتَّى وَقَفَ فِي الصَّفِّ، فَصَفَّقَ النَّاسُ، وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لاَ يَلْتَفِتُ فِي صَلاَتِهِ، فَلَمَّا أَكْثَرَ النَّاسُ التَّصْفِيقَ الْتَفَتَ، فَرَأَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنِ امْكُثْ مَكَانَكَ، فَرَفَعَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ يَدَيْهِ، فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا أَمَرَهُ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ اسْتَأْخَرَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَتَّى اسْتَوَى فِي الصَّفِّ، وَتَقَدَّمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَصَلَّى.

فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قَالَ: «يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَثْبُتَ إِذْ أَمَرْتُكَ؟» فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: مَا كَانَ لاِبْنِ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «مَا لِي رَأَيْتُكُمْ أَكْثَرْتُمُ التَّصْفِيقَ؟ مَنْ رَابَهُ شَىْءٌ فِي صَلاَتِهِ فَلْيُسَبِّحْ، فَإِنَّهُ إِذَا سَبَّحَ الْتُفِتَ إِلَيْهِ، وَإِنَّمَا التَّصْفِيقُ لِلنِّسَاءِ».