Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them

It was narrated that Abu Mas’ud said:

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

It was narrated that ‘Ali bin Shaiban who was part of a delegation (to the Prophet (ﷺ)) said:

“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.’”

It was narrated that Rashid said:

“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.’”

It was narrated that Mus’ab bin Sa’d said:

“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.’”

It was narrated that ‘Aishah said:

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

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

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

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“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).’”

It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say:

“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).’”

It was narrated that Ibn Abu Awfa said:

“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).’”

It was narrated that Abu ‘Umar said:

“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.

It was narrated from (`Ubaidullah bin `Abdullah) bin Aqram Al-Khuza`i that his father said:

“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.

It was narrated that Wa’il bin Hujr said:

“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.”

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones.”

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “I have been commanded to prostrate on seven, but not to tuck up my hair or my garment.”

It was narrated from ‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say:

“When a person prostrates, seven parts of his body prostrate with him: His face, his two hands, his two knees, and his two feet.”

Ahmar, the Companion of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), narrated to us:

“We used to feel sorry for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) because he took pains to keep his arms away from his sides when he prostrated.”

‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir Al-Juhani said:

“When the following was revealed: ‘So glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most Great’,[69:52] the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to us: ‘Say this in your Ruku’.’ And when the following was revealed: ‘Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.’[87:1] the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to us: ‘Say this in your prostrations.’”

It was narrated from Hudhaifah bin Al-Yaman that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say when he bowed:

“Subhana Rabbiyal-‘Azim (Glory is to my Lord, the Most Great)” three times, and when he prostrated he said: “Subhana Rabbiyal-A’la (Glory is to my Lord the Most High)” three times.

It was narrated that ‘Aishah said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) often used to say when bowing and prostrating: ‘Subhanak Allahumma wa bi hamdika, Allahummaghfir li (Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise; O Allah forgive me),’ following the command given by the Qur’an.”[Surat An-Nasr (110)]