Sunan al-Nasa'i

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard the recitation of Abu Musa and said: He has been given a Mizmar among the Mazamir of the family of Dawud, peace be upon him."

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard the recitation of Abu Musa and said: 'This man has been given a Mizmar among the Mazamir of the family of Dawud, peace be upon him.'"

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard the recitation of Abu Musa and said: 'This man has been given a Mizmar among the Mazamir of the family of Dawud, peace be upon him.'"

He asked Umm Salamah about the recitation and prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and she said: "Why do you want to know about his prayer?" Then she described his recitation and as being so measured and clear that each letter could be distinguished.

Marwan appointed Abu Hurairah as governor of Al-Madinah. When he stood to offer an obligatory prayer, he would say the takbir, then he said the takbir when he bowed, and when he raised his head from bowing he said: "Sami' Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal-hamd (Allah hears those who praise Him; our Lord, and to You be the praise)." Then he would say the takbir when he went down in prostration, then he said the takbir when he stood up after two rak'ahs, after saying the Tashahhud, and he did that until he had finished the prayer. When he had finished his prayer and said the Salam, he turned to the people in the masjid and said: "By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, I am the one among you whose prayer most closely resembles that of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)."

"I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raise his hands until they reached the highest part of his ears, when he said the takbir, when he bowed and when he raised his head from bowing."

His father said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he started to pray, raise his hands until they were parallel to his shoulders, (and he did that) when he bowed and when he raised his head from bowing."

"Shall I not tell you about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? He stood and raised his hands the first time and then he did not do that again."

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The prayer is not valid if a man does not bring his backbone to rest while bowing and prostrating.'"

"Be moderate in bowing and prostration, and do not rest your forearms along the ground like a dog."

They were with 'Abdullah in his house and he said: "Have these people prayed?" We said: "Yes." So he led them in prayer and stood between them, with no Adhan and no Iqamah, and said: "If you are three then do this, and if you are more than that then let one of you lead the others in prayer, and let him lay his hands on his thighs. It is as if I can see the fingers of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), interlaced.'"

"We prayed with Abdullah bin Mas'ud in his house. He stood between us and we placed our hands on our knees, but he took them off and made us interlace our fingers, and said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) do that.'"

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught us the prayer. He stood up and said the takbir, and when he wanted to bow, he put his hands together and put his hands between his knees and bowed." News of that reached Sa'd and he said: "My brother has spoken the truth. We used to do that, then we were commanded to do this," meaning to hold the knees.

"I prayed beside my father and I put my hands between my knees, and he told me: 'Put your hands on your knees.' Then I did that again and he struck my hands and said: 'We were forbidden to do that, and we were commanded to put our hands on our knees.'"

"I bowed and put my hands together, and my father said: 'This is something that we used to do, then we brought them up to our knees.'"

"It is established for you to hold the knees, so hold the knees."

" 'Umar said: 'The Sunnah is to hold the knees.'"

"We came to Abu Mas'ud and said to him: 'Tell us about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' He stood in front of us and said the takbir, then when he bowed he placed his palms on his knees and put his fingers lower than that, and he held his elbows out from his sides until every part of him had settled. Then he said: Sami' Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal-hamd (Allah hears those who praise Him, our Lord, and to You be the praise), then he stood up until every part of him had settled."

"Shall I not show you how I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray?" We said: "Yes." So he stood up and when he bowed, he placed his palms on his knees and put his fingers behind his knees, and held his arms out from his sides, until every part of him settled. Then he raised his head and stood up until every part of him settled. Then he prostrated and held his arms out from his sides, until every part of him settled. Then he sat up until every part of him settled. Then he prostrated again until every part of him settled. Then he did four rak'ahs like that. Then he said: "This is how I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray, and this is how he used to lead us in prayer."

"Abu Mus'ad said: 'Shall I not show you how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed?' We said: 'Yes.' So he stood up and said the takbir, and when he bowed, he held his arms out from his sides until, when every part of him settled, he raised his head. He prayed four rak'ahs like that, and said: 'This is how I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) praying.'"