The Prophet ﷺ said: A man's prayer does not avail him unless he keeps his back steady when bowing and prostrating.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ تُجْزِئُ صَلاَةُ الرَّجُلِ حَتَّى يُقِيمَ ظَهْرَهُ فِي الرُّكُوعِ وَالسُّجُودِ  

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered the mosque, a man also entered it and prayed. He then came and saluted the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned the salutation and said to him: Go back and pray, for you have not prayed. The man returned and prayed as he prayed before. He then came to prophet ﷺ and saluted him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: “ And upon you be peace. “ Go back and pray, for you have not prayed. He did so three times. Then the man said: By Him who has sent you(as a Prophet) with truth; I cannot do better than this; so teach me. He said: When you get up to pray, utter the takbir(Allah is most great); then recite a convenient portion of the Qur’an; then bow and remain quietly in that position; then sit and remain quietly in that position; then raise yourself and stand erect: then prostrate yourself and remain quietly in that position; then sit and remain quietly in that position; then do that throughout all your prayer. Abu Dawud said: Al-Qa’nabi reported this tradition from Sa’id b. Abi Sa’Id on the authority of Abu Hurairah. This version has the wording in the last: When you do this, then your prayer is completed. If you omit anything form this, you omit that much from your prayer. This version also has the wording: when you get up for praying, perform the abulation perfectly.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَدَخَلَ رَجُلٌ فَصَلَّى ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَرَدَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمَ وَقَالَ ارْجِعْ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَلِّ فَرَجَعَ الرَّجُلُ فَصَلَّى كَمَا كَانَ صَلَّى ثُمَّ جَاءَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَعَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمُ ثُمَّ قَالَ ارْجِعْ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَلِّ حَتَّى فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ ثَلاَثَ مِرَارٍ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا أُحْسِنُ غَيْرَ هَذَا فَعَلِّمْنِي قَالَ إِذَا قُمْتَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ فَكَبِّرْ ثُمَّ اقْرَأْ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مَعَكَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ثُمَّ ارْكَعْ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ رَاكِعًا ثُمَّ ارْفَعْ حَتَّى تَعْتَدِلَ قَائِمًا ثُمَّ اسْجُدْ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ سَاجِدًا ثُمَّ اجْلِسْ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ جَالِسًا ثُمَّ افْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فِي صَلاَتِكَ كُلِّهَا  

A man entered the mosque...... He then narrated the tradition like the one narrated in (No.855). This version is as follows: The Prophet ﷺ said: The prayer of anyone is not perfect unless he performs ablution perfectly; he should then utter the takbir, and praise Allah, the Exalted, and admire Him; he should then recite the Qur'an as much as he desires. He should then say: "Allah is Most Great". Next he should bow so that all his joints return to their proper places. Then he should say: "Allah listens to the one who praises Him", and stand erect. He should then say:"Allah is most great," and should prostrate himself so that all his joints are completely at rest. Then he should say: "Allah is most great"; he should raise his head (at the end of prostration) till he sits erect. Then he should say: "Allah is most great"; then he should prostrate himself till all his joints return to their proper places. Then he should raise his head and say the takbir. When he does so, then his prayer is completed.  

النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِنَّهُ لاَ تَتِمُّ صَلاَةٌ لأَحَدٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ حَتَّى يَتَوَضَّأَ فَيَضَعَ الْوُضُوءَ يَعْنِي مَوَاضِعَهُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ وَيَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ وَيُثْنِي عَلَيْهِ وَيَقْرَأُ بِمَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ثُمَّ يَرْكَعُ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ مَفَاصِلُهُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ حَتَّى يَسْتَوِيَ قَائِمًا ثُمَّ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ثُمَّ يَسْجُدُ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ مَفَاصِلُهُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَيَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ حَتَّى يَسْتَوِيَ قَاعِدًا ثُمَّ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ثُمَّ يَسْجُدُ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ مَفَاصِلُهُ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ فَيُكَبِّرُ فَإِذَا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ تَمَّتْ صَلاَتُهُ  

This version (of Hadith No 856) adds: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: The prayer of any of you is not complete until he performs ablution perfectly, as Allah, the Exalted, has ordered you. He should wash his face and hands up to the elbows, and wipe his head and (wash) his feet up to the ankles. Then he should exalt Allah and praise Him. Then he should recite the Qur'an as much as it is convenient for him. (Narrator then narrated the tradition like Hammad's, No. 856). He said: He then utter the takbir and prostration himself so that his face is at rest. Hammam (sub-narrator) said: Sometimes he reported: So that his forehead is at rest on the ground, and his joints return to their places and are loosened. Then he should say the takbir and then sit right on his hips and erect his back. He described the nature of prayer in this way by offering four rak'ahs until he finished it. The prayer of any of you is not complete unless he does so.  

رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنَّهَا لاَ تَتِمُّ صَلاَةُ أَحَدِكُمْ حَتَّى يُسْبِغَ الْوُضُوءَ كَمَا أَمَرَهُ اللَّهُ ﷻ فَيَغْسِلَ وَجْهَهُ وَيَدَيْهِ إِلَى الْمِرْفَقَيْنِ وَيَمْسَحَ بِرَأْسِهِ وَرِجْلَيْهِ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ اللَّهَ ﷻ وَيَحْمَدُهُ ثُمَّ يَقْرَأُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا أُذِنَ لَهُ فِيهِ وَتَيَسَّرَ فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَ حَدِيثِ حَمَّادٍ قَالَ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ فَيَسْجُدُ فَيُمَكِّنُ وَجْهَهُ قَالَ هَمَّامٌ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ جَبْهَتَهُ مِنَ الأَرْضِ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ مَفَاصِلُهُ وَتَسْتَرْخِيَ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ فَيَسْتَوِي قَاعِدًا عَلَى مَقْعَدِهِ وَيُقِيمُ صُلْبَهُ فَوَصَفَ الصَّلاَةَ هَكَذَا أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ حَتَّى فَرَغَ لاَ تَتِمُّ صَلاَةُ أَحَدِكُمْ حَتَّى يَفْعَلَ ذَلِكَ  

When you get up and face the qiblah, what Allah wishes you to recite. And when you bow, put your palms on your knees and stretch out your back. When you prostrate yourself, do it completely( so that you are at the rest). When you raise yourself then sit on your left thigh.  

إِذَا قُمْتَ فَتَوَجَّهْتَ إِلَى الْقِبْلَةِ فَكَبِّرْ ثُمَّ اقْرَأْ بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ وَبِمَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَقْرَأَ وَإِذَا رَكَعْتَ فَضَعْ رَاحَتَيْكَ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْكَ وَامْدُدْ ظَهْرَكَ وَقَالَ إِذَا سَجَدْتَ فَمَكِّنْ لِسُجُودِكَ فَإِذَا رَفَعْتَ فَاقْعُدْ عَلَى فَخِذِكَ الْيُسْرَى  

When you get up to pray, say the takbir, exalting Allah; then recite the Qur’an as much as it is convenient for you. The version adds: When you sit in the middle of the prayer, do it completely(so that you are at rest) and spread your left thigh; then recite the tashahhud. Then if you get up (again), do in a similar way until you finish your prayer.  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِهَذِهِ الْقِصَّةِ قَالَ إِذَا أَنْتَ قُمْتَ فِي صَلاَتِكَ فَكَبِّرِ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى ثُمَّ اقْرَأْ مَا تَيَسَّرَ عَلَيْكَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَقَالَ فِيهِ فَإِذَا جَلَسْتَ فِي وَسَطِ الصَّلاَةِ فَاطْمَئِنَّ وَافْتَرِشْ فَخِذَكَ الْيُسْرَى ثُمَّ تَشَهَّدْ ثُمَّ إِذَا قُمْتَ فَمِثْلَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى تَفْرُغَ مِنْ صَلاَتِكَ  

Then perform ablution in a way Allah, the exalted, has command you, then say the shahadah and get up and say the takbir. Then if you know any of the Qur’an, recite it; otherwise say: “Praise be to Allah”; “Allah is most great”; “ There is no god but Allah” He ( the narrator) also said in this version: If some defect remains in this, that detect will remain in your prayer.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَصَّ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ قَالَ فِيهِ فَتَوَضَّأْ كَمَا أَمَرَكَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ ثُمَّ تَشَهَّدْ فَأَقِمْ ثُمَّ كَبِّرْ فَإِنْ كَانَ مَعَكَ قُرْآنٌ فَاقْرَأْ بِهِ وَإِلاَّ فَاحْمَدِ اللَّهَ وَكَبِّرْهُ وَهَلِّلْهُ وَقَالَ فِيهِ وَإِنِ انْتَقَصْتَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا انْتَقَصْتَ مِنْ صَلاَتِكَ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited to peck like a crow, and to spread (the forearms) like a wild beast, and to fix a place in the mosque like a camel which fixes its place. These are the wordings of Qutaybah.  

نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ نَقْرَةِ الْغُرَابِ وَافْتِرَاشِ السَّبُعِ وَأَنْ يُوَطِّنَ الرَّجُلُ الْمَكَانَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ كَمَا يُوَطِّنُ الْبَعِيرُ هَذَا لَفْظُ قُتَيْبَةَ  

Salim al-Barrad said: We came to AbuMas'ud Uqbah ibn Amr al-Ansari and said to him: Tell us about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He stood up before us in the mosque and said the takbir. When he bowed, he placed his hands upon his knees and put his fingers below, and kept his elbows (arms) away from his sides, so everything returned properly to its place. Then he said: "Allah listens to him who praises Him"; then he stood up so that everything returned properly to its place; then he said the takbir and prostrated and put the palms of his hands on the ground; he kept his elbow (arms) away from his sides, so that everything returned to its proper place. Then he raised his head and sat so that everything returned to its place; he then repeated it in a similar way. Then he offered four rak'ahs of prayer like this rak'ah and completed his prayer. Then he said: Thus we witnessed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ offering his prayer.  

حَدِّثْنَا عَنْ صَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَامَ بَيْنَ أَيْدِينَا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَكَبَّرَ فَلَمَّا رَكَعَ وَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ أَصَابِعَهُ أَسْفَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَجَافَى بَيْنَ مِرْفَقَيْهِ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ فَقَامَ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ وَسَجَدَ وَوَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى الأَرْضِ ثُمَّ جَافَى بَيْنَ مِرْفَقَيْهِ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَجَلَسَ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ فَفَعَلَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ أَيْضًا ثُمَّ صَلَّى أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ مِثْلَ هَذِهِ الرَّكْعَةِ فَصَلَّى صَلاَتَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ هَكَذَا رَأَيْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُصَلِّي