Muhammad ibn Bashshar narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Ja‘far narrated to us, Shu‘bah narrated to us — and (also) ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Mu‘adh narrated to us, and the wording is his — our father narrated to us, Shu‘bah narrated to us, from Ya‘la — and he is Ibn ‘Ata’ — who heard Abu ‘Alqamah, who heard Abu Hurayrah, saying: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The imam is but a shield, so when he prays sitting, pray sitting; and when he says, 'Allah hears those who praise Him,' say, 'O Allah, our Lord, to You be praise.' And when the words of the people of the earth coincide with the words of the people of heaven, his past sins are forgiven."