The prayer of the congregation behind an imam who is sitting due to illness

The questioner:
If the imam prays sitting down because of an illness that has befallen him, do the people praying behind him also pray sitting down?

The Shaykh:
If the imam, if the imam of the mosque, the regular imam of the mosque, is afflicted with an illness that prevents him from standing, then he prays sitting down, and they pray behind him sitting down, just as they did with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). But if he is not the regular imam, they do not pray behind him.
Because he is unable to perform a pillar, and standing is a pillar of the prayer. They do not pray behind one who leaves a pillar of the prayer, namely standing, because he is unable to do so. His prayer is valid because he is unable to stand. But they are stronger. They can stand. They do not pray behind him. Someone else who is healthy should lead them.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you. The questioner says.

The Shaykh:
Also, this applies to the regular imam whose illness is expected to end. As for the one whose illness is not expected to end, even if he is the imam of the mosque, he does not lead them. They appoint someone else, because his condition is not expected to end; it will continue like this.