The Book of Prayer

Narrated Ibn Buhainah (RA):

When the Prophet (ﷺ) prostrated while praying, he used to spread out his arms so that the whiteness of his armpits would be visible. [Agreed upon].

Narrated Al-Bara' bin 'Azib (RA):

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: "When you prostrate, place the palms of your hands on the ground and raise your elbows." [Reported by Muslim).

Narrated Wa'il bin Hujr (RA):

Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) bowed, he would spread out his fingers and when he prostrated he would bring his fingers together. [Reported by al-Hakim).

Narrated 'Aishah (RA):

I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) praying while he sat cross-legged. [Reported by an-Nasa'i, and Ibn Khuzaimah graded it Sahib (authentic)].

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas (RA):

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say between the two prostrations: "Allahumma ighfir li, warhamni, wahdini, wa 'afini, warzuqni (O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, grant me health and well-being, and provide sustenance for me)." [Reported by al-Arba'a except An-Nasa'i, and this is the wording of Abu Dawud. Al-Hakim graded it Sahih (authentic)].

Narrated Malik bin Al-Huwairith (RA):

He saw the Prophet (ﷺ) praying and when he had prayed an odd number of Rak'a, he did not stand up till he had sat up properly. [Reported by al-Bukhari].

Narrated Anas bin Malik (RA):

The Prophet (ﷺ) recited Qunut (supplication in the prayer) for one month after (rising up from the) bowing (position), invoking curse on some Arab tribes. Afterwards, he gave it up. [Agreed upon].

Ahmad and ad-Daraqutni narrated something similar, adding that he (ﷺ) continued to recite Qunut (supplication in prayer) in the Fajr prayer till he separated from this world.

Narrated [Anas (RA)]:

The Prophet (ﷺ) never used to supplicate [i.e. Qunut in the prayer) except when he prayed for a people or when he prayed against a people. [Ibn Khuzaimah graded it Sahih (authentic)].

Narrated Sa'd bin Tariq al-Ashja'i (RA):

I said to my father, "You have prayed behind Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), Abu Bakr, 'Umar, Uthman, and 'Ali. Did they supplicate (with Qunut while standing) in the Fajr prayer?" He replied, "O my son, it is an innovation." [Reported by Al-Khamsah, except Abu Dawud].

Narrated al-Hasan bin 'Ali (ﷺ):

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) taught me some words to say when standing in supplication during the Witr, they were: "O Allah, guide me among those You have guided, grant me well-being among those You have granted well-being, take me into Your charge among those You have taken into Your charge, bless me in what You have given, guard me from the evil of what You have decreed, for You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You befriend is not humbled. Blessed and Exalted are You, our Rabb (Lord)." [Reported by Al-Khamsah]. at-Tabarani and al-Baihaqi added: "He whom You hold as enemy is not honoured." an-Nasa'i reported through another chain of narrators, adding at its end: "May Allah the Most High send His Salat on the Prophet (praising him in the highest assemblies of the angels)."

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas (RA):

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to teach us a supplication to say in the Qunut of the morning prayer. [al-Baihaqi reported it and there is a weakness in its chain of narrators].

Narrated Abu Hurairah (RA):

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: "When one of you prostrates, he should not kneel in the manner of a camel, but should put down his hands before his knees." [Reported by ath-Thalathah]. This Hadith is more authentic than the Hadith narrated by Wa'il bin Hujr (RA).

I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) placing his knees (on the ground) before his hands when he prostrated. [Reported by al-Arba'ah].

The first Hadith has a Shahid (supporting evidence) in the Hadith

of Ibn 'Umar (RA) (coming next), which is authenticated by Ibn Khuzaimah. al-Bukhari mentioned it as a Hadith Mu'allaq (missing links from the side of the Haditb collector) and Mawquf (saying of a companion).

Narrated Ibn 'Umar (RA):

When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sat for at-Tashahhud, he placed his left hand on his left knee, and his right hand on his right knee, folded its fingers and pointed with his right index finger. [Reported by Muslim].

In another narration of Muslim:

'and he clenched all his (right hand) fingers and pointed with the index finger.'

Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud (RA):

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) looked at us and said, "When one of you is (sitting) in prayer, he should say, 'All services reported by words, by prayers (acts of worship), and all good things are due to Allah, peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and blessings, peace be upon us and upon Allah's upright slaves. I testify that nothing deserves to be worshipped except Allah and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.' Then he may choose any supplication which pleases him most and recite it." [Agreed upon, and this wording is from al-Bukhari].

In the narration of an-Nasa'i:

'We used to say before at-Tashahhud become obligatory on us'.