1146 - وَقَالَ عَمَّارُ بْنُ مُوسَى: سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنِ اَلْإِمَامِ يُصَلِّي وَ خَلْفَهُ قَوْمٌ أَسْفَلُ مِنَ اَلْمَوْضِعِ اَلَّذِي يُصَلِّي فِيهِ قَالَ «إِنْ كَانَ اَلْإِمَامُ عَلَى شِبْهِ اَلدُّكَّانِ أَوْ عَلَى أَرْفَعَ مِنْ مَوْضِعِهِمْ لَمْ تَجُزْ صَلاَتُهُمْ وَ إِنْ كَانَ أَرْفَعَ مِنْهُمْ بِإِصْبَعٍ أَوْ أَكْثَرَ أَوْ أَقَلَّ إِذَا كَانَ اَلاِرْتِفَاعُ بِقَطْعِ سَيْلٍ وَ إِنْ كَانَتِ اَلْأَرْضُ مَبْسُوطَةً وَ كَانَ فِي مَوْضِعٍ مِنْهَا اِرْتِفَاعٌ فَقَامَ اَلْإِمَامُ فِي اَلْمَوْضِعِ اَلْمُرْتَفِعِ وَ قَامَ مَنْ خَلْفَهُ أَسْفَلَ مِنْهُ وَ اَلْأَرْضُ مَبْسُوطَةٌ إِلاَّ أَنَّهَا فِي مَوْضِعٍ مُنْحَدِرٍ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ» وَ سُئِلَ فَإِنْ قَامَ اَلْإِمَامُ أَسْفَلَ مِنْ مَوْضِعِ مَنْ يُصَلِّي خَلْفَهُ قَالَ «لاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ» وَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ «إِنْ كَانَ اَلرَّجُلُ فَوْقَ بَيْتٍ أَوْ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ دُكَّاناً كَانَ أَوْ غَيْرَهُ وَ كَانَ اَلْإِمَامُ يُصَلِّي عَلَى اَلْأَرْضِ وَ اَلْإِمَامُ أَسْفَلَ مِنْهُ كَانَ لِلرَّجُلِ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ خَلْفَهُ وَ يَقْتَدِيَ بِصَلاَتِهِ وَ إِنْ كَانَ أَرْفَعَ مِنْهُ بِشَيْءٍ كَثِيرٍ.
Hadith.1146 - Ammar ibn Musa narrated that Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq 
was asked about an Imam praying while behind him are people at a lower level than where he is praying.
Imam said: "If the Imam is on something like a platform or at a significantly higher level than their position, their prayer is invalid. However, if he is elevated by a finger's width or slightly more or less, due to a natural rise, or if the land is even but has a raised spot where the Imam stands while those behind him are at a lower level and the land itself is generally flat but sloped in places, then there is no issue."
He was asked about an Imam standing lower than those behind him
Imam said: "There is no issue."
Imam further said: "If a person is above, on a roof or a platform or any other elevated place while the Imam prays on the ground below, it is permissible for the person to pray behind the Imam and follow his prayer even if the person is significantly higher."
