Sunan Ibn Majah

“Abu Humaid, Abu Usaid As-Sa’di, Sahl bin Sa’d, and Muhammad bin Maslamah came together and spoke about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Abu Humaid said: ‘I am the most knowledgeable of you about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up and said Allahu Akbar, and raised his hands, then he raised them when he said Allahu Akbar for Ruku’, then he stood up and raised his hands, and stood straight until every bone had returned to its place.’”

“When the Prophet (ﷺ) stood up to offer a prescribed prayer, he said Allahu Akbar and raised his hands until they were parallel to his shoulders. When he wanted to bow he did likewise; when he raised his head from bowing he did likewise; and when he stood up after the two prostrations he did likewise.”*

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to raise his hands at every Takbir (saying Allahu Akbar).

It was narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to raise his hands when he entered prayer, and when he bowed in Ruku’.

“I said: ‘I will look at the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and see how he performs the prayer.’ He stood up and faced the Qiblah, and raised his hands until they were parallel to his ears. When he bowed, he raised them likewise, and when he raised his head from Ruku’, he raised them likewise.”

“I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing that.” (One of the narrators) said: “Ibrahim bin Tahman (one of the narrators) raised his hands to his ears.”

“When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) bowed, he neither raised his head nor lowered it, rather (he did something) between that.”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘No prayer is acceptable in which a man does not settle his spine when bowing and when prostrating.’”

“We set out until we came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and we gave him our oath of allegiance and performed prayer behind him. He glanced out of the corner of his eye at a man who was not settling his spine when he bowed and prostrated. When the Prophet (ﷺ) finished the prayer, he said: ‘O Muslims, there is no prayer for the one who does not settle his spine when bowing and prostrating.’”

“I heard Wabisah bin Ma’bad saying: ‘I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) performing prayer, and when he bowed he made his back so straight that if water were poured on it, it would have stayed there.’”

“I bowed (in prayer) beside my father, and I put my hands between my knees. He struck my hand and said: ‘We used to do that, then we were commanded to put them on the knees.’”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to bow with his hands on his knees and his upper arms held away from his sides.”

“Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him),” he said: “Rabbana wa lakal-hamd (O our Lord, to You is the praise).”

“When the Imam says: ‘Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him),’ say: ‘Rabbana wa lakal-hamd (O our Lord, to You is the praise).’”

“When the Imam says: ‘Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him),’ say: ‘Allahumma, Rabbana wa lakal-hamd (O Allah! O our Lord! To You is the praise).’”

“When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his head from Ruku’, he said: ‘Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah, Allahumma, Rabbana lakal-hamd, mil’ as-samawati wa mil’ al- ard wa mil’ ma shi’ta min shay’in ba’d (Allah hears those who praise Him. O Allah! O our Lord, to You is the praise as much as fills the heavens, as much as fills the earth and as much as You will after that).’”

“I heard Abu Juhaifah say: Good fortune was mentioned in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) while he was performing prayer. A man said: ‘so-and-so’s fortune is in horses.’ Another man said: ‘So-and-so’s fortune is in camels.’ Another man said: ‘So-and-so’s fortune is in sheep.’ Another man said: ‘So- and-so’s fortune is in slaves.’ While the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was finishing his prayer, he raised his head at the end of the last Rak’ah and said: ‘Allahumma Rabbana lakal-hamd mil’ as-samawati wa mil’ al- ard wa mil’ ma shi’ta min shai’in ba’du. Allahumma la mani’ lima a’taita wa la mu’ti lima mana’ta, wa la yanfa’u dhal-jaddi minkal-jadd (Allah hears those who praise Him. O Allah! O our Lord! To You is the praise as much as fills the heavens, as much as fills the earth and as much as You will after that. O Allah, there is none who can withhold what You give, and none who can give what You withhold, and the good fortune of any fortunate person is to no avail against You).’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) elongated the word Jadd (fortune) so that they would know that it was not as they had said.”

It was narrated from Maimunah that when the Prophet (ﷺ) prostrated, he would hold his forearms away from his sides, such that if a lamb wanted to pass under his arms, it would be able to do so.

“I was with my father on the plain in Namirah,* when some riders passed us and made their camels kneel down at the side of the road. My father said to me: ‘Stay with your lambs until I go to those people and see what they want.’ He said: Then he (my father) went out and I came, (i.e., I came near,) then there was the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and the time for prayer came so I prayed with them, and I was looking at the whiteness of the armpits of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) every time he prostrated.” Ibn Majah said: The people say `Ubaidullah bin `Abdullah, but Abu Bakr bin Abu Shaibah said: "The people say `Abdullah bin `Ubaidullah." Muhammad bin Bashshar said: "`Abdur-Rahman bin Mahdi, Safwan bin `Eisa and Abu Dawud all said: 'Dawud bin Qais narrated to us, from `Ubaidullah bin `Abdullah bin Aqram, from his father, from the Prophet (ﷺ).'" With similar wording.

“I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) when he prostrated and put his knees on the ground before his hands, and when he stood up after prostrating, he took his hands off the ground before his knees.”