The ruling on restarting the prayer from the beginning when the imam arrives

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, the questioner says: The imam of one of the mosques was late in arriving, so one of the people led them in prayer. When he reached the middle of al-Fatihah, the imam arrived and pulled the one who was leading the people, then he restarted the prayer from the beginning. Some of them said that there is a basis in the Shari'ah for this action. Is this correct?

Answer:
Knowing that he is always eager to relinquish leading the people. Yes, if the imam arrives, he may step forward and the one who was leading may step back, and he should build upon what his deputy started, and not restart the prayer from the beginning. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came while Abu Bakr was leading the people in prayer, so Abu Bakr stepped back and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stepped forward. This action is permissible. It is permissible for one who has jurisprudence and knowledge to apply it, but for one who does not have the knowledge to apply it, it is not permissible for him to cause confusion among the people.