Whenever Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood for the prayer, he said Takbir on starting the prayer and then on bowing. On rising from bowing he said, "Samiʿa llahu liman hamidah," and then while standing straight he used to say, "Rabbana laka-l hamd" (Al- Laith said, "(The Prophet ﷺ said), 'Wa laka l-hamd'." He used to say Takbir on prostrating and on raising his head from prostration; again he would Say Takbir on prostrating and raising his head. He would then do the same in the whole of the prayer till it was completed. On rising from the second rakʿa (after sitting for at-Tahiyyat), he used to say Takbir.  

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْكَعُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لَمِنْ حَمِدَهُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ صُلْبَهُ مِنَ الرَّكْعَةِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ {بْنُ صَالِحٍ عَنِ اللَّيْثِ} وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَهْوِي ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَسْجُدُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ كُلِّهَا حَتَّى يَقْضِيَهَا وَيُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ مِنَ الثِّنْتَيْنِ بَعْدَ الْجُلُوسِ  

Abu Huraira used to say Takbir in all the prayers, compulsory and optional -- in the month of Ramadan or other months. He used to say Takbir on standing for prayer and on bowing; then he would say, "Samiʿa l-lahu liman hamidah," and before prostrating he would say "Rabbana wa laka lhamd." Then he would say Takbir on prostrating and on raising his head from the prostration, then another Takbir on prostrating (for the second time), and on raising his head from the prostration. He also would say the Takbir on standing from the second rakʿa. He used to do the same in every rakʿa till he completed the prayer. On completion of the prayer, he would say, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is! No doubt my prayer is closer to that of Messenger of Allah ﷺ than yours, and this was His prayer till he left this world."  

أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ كَانَ يُكَبِّرُ فِي كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ مِنَ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ وَغَيْرِهَا فِي رَمَضَانَ وَغَيْرِهِ فَيُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْكَعُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْجُدَ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ حِينَ يَهْوِي سَاجِدًا ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ السُّجُودِ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَسْجُدُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ السُّجُودِ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ مِنَ الْجُلُوسِ فِي الاِثْنَتَيْنِ وَيَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَةٍ حَتَّى يَفْرُغَ مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ حِينَ يَنْصَرِفُ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لأَقْرَبُكُمْ شَبَهًا بِصَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنْ كَانَتْ هَذِهِ لَصَلاَتَهُ حَتَّى فَارَقَ الدُّنْيَا  

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up for prayer, he would say the takbir (Allah-o-Akbar) when standing, then say the takbir when bowing. then say:" Allah listened to him who praised him," when coming to the erect position after bowing, then say while standing:" To Thee, our Lord, be the praise", then recite the takbir when getting down for prostration, then say the takbir on raising his head, then say the takbir on prostrating himself, then say the takbir on raising his head. He would do that throughout the whole prayer till he would complete it, and he would say the takbir when he would get up at the end of two rak'as after adopting the sitting posture. Abu Huraira said: My prayer has the best resemblance amongst you with the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.  

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْكَعُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ صُلْبَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَهْوِي سَاجِدًا ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَسْجُدُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَفْعَلُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ كُلِّهَا حَتَّى يَقْضِيَهَا وَيُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ مِنَ الْمَثْنَى بَعْدَ الْجُلُوسِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ إِنِّي لأَشْبَهُكُمْ صَلاَةً بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ  

"When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood to pray, he said the takbir, when he (started), then he said the takbir when he bowed, then he said: 'Sami Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears the one who praises Him)', when he stood up from bowing. Then he said when he was standing: 'Rabbana lakal-hamd.' Then he said the takbir when he went down in prostration, then he said the takbir when he raised his head, and he did that throughout the entire prayer until he finished it, and he said the takbir when he stood up after the first two rak'ahs, after sitting."  

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْكَعُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ صُلْبَهُ مِنَ الرَّكْعَةِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَهْوِي سَاجِدًا ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَسْجُدُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ كُلِّهَا حَتَّى يَقْضِيَهَا وَيُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ مِنَ الثِّنْتَيْنِ بَعْدَ الْجُلُوسِ  

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."  

أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ حِينَ اسْتَخْلَفَهُ مَرْوَانُ عَلَى الْمَدِينَةِ كَانَ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ كَبَّرَ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْكَعُ فَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرَّكْعَةِ قَالَ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَهْوِي سَاجِدًا ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ مِنَ الثِّنْتَيْنِ بَعْدَ التَّشَهُّدِ يَفْعَلُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَ صَلاَتَهُ فَإِذَا قَضَى صَلاَتَهُ وَسَلَّمَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَقَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لأَشْبَهُكُمْ صَلاَةً بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ  

"When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood to pray, he said the takbir, when he (started), then he said the takbir when he bowed, then he said: 'Sami Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears the one who praises Him)', when he stood up from bowing. Then he said when he was standing: 'Rabbana lakal-hamd.' Then he said the takbir when he went down in prostration, then he said the takbir when he raised his head, and he did that throughout the entire prayer until he finished it, and he said the takbir when he stood up after the first two rak'ahs, after sitting." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 1150)  

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْكَعُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ صُلْبَهُ مِنَ الرَّكْعَةِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَهْوِي سَاجِدًا ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَهْوِي سَاجِدًا ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ كُلِّهَا حَتَّى يَقْضِيَهَا وَيُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ مِنَ اللَّتَيْنِ بَعْدَ الْجُلُوسِ  

Whenever Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood for the prayer, he said Takbir on starting the prayer and then on bowing. On rising from bowing he said, "Samiʿa llahu liman hamidah," and then while standing straight he used to say, "Rabbana laka-l hamd" (Al- Laith said, "(The Prophet ﷺ said), 'Wa laka l-hamd'." He used to say Takbir on prostrating and on raising his head from prostration; again he would Say Takbir on prostrating and raising his head. He would then do the same in the whole of the prayer till it was completed. On rising from the second rakʿa (after sitting for at-Tahiyyat), he used to say Takbir. (Using translation from Bukhārī 789)  

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْكَعُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ «سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ» حِينَ يَرْفَعُ صُلْبَهُ مِنَ الرَّكْعَةِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ «رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ» ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَهْوِي سَاجِدًا ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَسْجُدُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ كُلِّهَا حَتَّى يَقْضِيَهَا وَيُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ مِنَ الثِّنْتَيْنِ بَعْدَ الْجُلُوسِ  

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." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 1023)  

أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ حِينَ اسْتَخْلَفَهُ مَرْوَانُ عَلَى الْمَدِينَةِ كَانَ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ كَبَرَ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْكَعُ فَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرَّكْعَةِ قَالَ سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ رَبِّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَهْوِي سَاجِدًا ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ مِنَ الثِّنْتَيْنِ بَعْدَ التَّشَهُّدِ ثُمَّ يَفْعَلُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يَقْضِي صَلَاتَهُ فَإِذَا قَضَى صَلَاتَهُ وَسَلَّمَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَقَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي «لَأَشْبَهُكُمْ صَلَاةً بِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ»  

Whenever Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood for the prayer, he said Takbir on starting the prayer and then on bowing. On rising from bowing he said, "Samiʿa llahu liman hamidah," and then while standing straight he used to say, "Rabbana laka-l hamd" (Al- Laith said, "(The Prophet ﷺ said), 'Wa laka l-hamd'." He used to say Takbir on prostrating and on raising his head from prostration; again he would Say Takbir on prostrating and raising his head. He would then do the same in the whole of the prayer till it was completed. On rising from the second rakʿa (after sitting for at-Tahiyyat), he used to say Takbir. (Using translation from Bukhārī 789)   

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْكَعُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ صُلْبَهُ مِنَ الرَّكْعَةِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَهْوِي سَاجِدًا ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَسْجُدُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ كُلِّهَا حَتَّى يَقْضِيَهَا وَيُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ مِنَ الثِّنْتَيْنِ بَعْدَ الْجُلُوسِ  

Abu Hurairah would utter the takbir in every prayer, whether obligatory or non-obligatory, He would utter the takbir when he stood, and he would utter the takbir when he bowed, then he would say: “Allah listens to him who praises Him”; he then would say before prostrating himself; “ Our Lord, to Thee be praise”; then he would say while falling in prostration: “Allah is most great”; he then would utter the takbir when he raised his head after prostration, and then utter the takbir when he prostrated, and then utter takbir the takbir when he stood up at the end of two rak’ahs after sitting down. He used to do so in every rak’ah until he finished his prayer. Then he would say at the end of the prayer: By Him in Whose hands lies my life, I am closer to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in respect of his prayer. Such was the prayer he used to offer until he departed from the world. Abu Dawud said: Malik, al-Zubaidi and others have narrated so that they form the last words from al-Zuhri on the authority of ‘Ali b, Husain. And this is supported by the version reported by ‘Abd al-A’la from Ma’mar and SHu’aib b. Abi Hamzah on the authority of Al-Zuhri. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 836)   

أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ كَانَ يُكَبِّرُ فِي صَلَاةٍ مِنَ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ وَغَيْرِهَا فَيُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْكَعُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْجُدَ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ اللهُ أَكْبَرُ حِينَ يَهْوِي سَاجِدًا ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَسْجُدُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ مِنَ الْجُلُوسِ فِي اثْنَتَيْنِ فَيَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَةٍ حَتَّى يَفْرُغَ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ حِينَ يَنْصَرِفُ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لَأَقْرَبُكُمْ شَبَهًا بِصَلَاةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ إِنْ كَانَتْ هَذِهِ لَصَلَاتَهُ حَتَّى فَارَقَ الدُّنْيَا قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ هَذَا الْكَلَامُ الْأَخِيرُ يَحْمِلُهُ مَالِكٌ وَالزُّبَيْرِيُّ وَغَيْرُهُمَا عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حُسَيْنٍ وَوَافَقَ عَبْدُ الْأَعْلَى عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ شُعَيْبَ بْنَ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ الشَّيْخُ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ قَدْ أَخْرَجَ الْبُخَارِيُّ حَدِيثَ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْيَمَانِ عَنْ شُعَيْبٍ  

"كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلاةِ يُكبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ، وَيُكبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْكَعُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَن حَمِدَهُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ صُلْبَهُ مِنَ الرَّكْعَةِ، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ وَهُوَ قَائِم: رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، ثُمَّ يُكبِّرُ حِينَ يَهْوِى سَاجِدًا، ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأسَهُ، ثُمَّ يُكبِّرُ حِينَ يَسْجُدُ، ثُمَّ يُكبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْفَعُ رَأسَهُ، ثُمَّ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ في الَّصَلَاةِ كُلِّها حَتَّى يَقْضِيَهَا، وَيُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ مِنَ الثِّنْتَينِ بَعْدَ الْجُلُوسِ".