"I said: 'I am going to watch the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and see how he prays.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up and faced the Qiblah, then he raised his hands until they were in level with his ears, then he held his left hand with his right. When he wanted to bow, he raised them (his hands) likewise, then placed his hands on his knees. When he raised his head from bowing, he raised them (his hands) likewise. When he prostrated he put his hands in the same position in relation to his head, then he sat up and lay his left foot on the ground. He placed his left hand on his left thigh and his right elbow on his right thigh, and made a circle with two of his fingers. And I saw him doing like this"- Bishr (one of the narrators) pointed with the forefinger of his right hand and made a circle with the thumb and middle finger.  

قُلْتُ لأَنْظُرَنَّ إِلَى صَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ فَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى حَاذَتَا أُذُنَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ شِمَالَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ رَفَعَهُمَا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ وَوَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ فَلَمَّا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ رَفَعَهُمَا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَلَمَّا سَجَدَ وَضَعَ رَأْسَهُ بِذَلِكَ الْمَنْزِلِ مِنْ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ فَافْتَرَشَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى وَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُسْرَى وَحَدَّ مِرْفَقَهُ الأَيْمَنَ عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَقَبَضَ ثِنْتَيْنِ وَحَلَّقَ وَرَأَيْتُهُ يَقُولُ هَكَذَا وَأَشَارَ بِشْرٌ بِالسَّبَّابَةِ مِنَ الْيُمْنَى وَحَلَّقَ الإِبْهَامَ وَالْوُسْطَى  

"I said: 'I am going to watch how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prays.' So I watched him and he stood and said the takbir, and raised his hands until they were in the level with his ears, then he placed his right hand over his left hand, wrist and lower forearm. When he wanted to bow he raised his hands likewise. Then he prostrated and placed his hands in level with his ears. Then he sat up and placed his left leg under him; he put his left hand on his left thigh and knee, and he put the edge of his right elbow on his right thigh, then he held two of his fingers together and made a circle, and raised his forefinger, and I saw him moving it and supplicating with it."  

أَخْبَرَهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَنْظُرَنَّ إِلَى صَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَقَامَ فَكَبَّرَ وَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى حَاذَتَا بِأُذُنَيْهِ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى كَفِّهِ الْيُسْرَى وَالرُّسْغِ وَالسَّاعِدِ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ مِثْلَهَا قَالَ وَوَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ ثُمَّ لَمَّا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ مِثْلَهَا ثُمَّ سَجَدَ فَجَعَلَ كَفَّيْهِ بِحِذَاءِ أُذُنَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَعَدَ وَافْتَرَشَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى وَوَضَعَ كَفَّهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ وَرُكْبَتِهِ الْيُسْرَى وَجَعَلَ حَدَّ مِرْفَقِهِ الأَيْمَنِ عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى ثُمَّ قَبَضَ اثْنَتَيْنِ مِنْ أَصَابِعِهِ وَحَلَّقَ حَلْقَةً ثُمَّ رَفَعَ إِصْبَعَهُ فَرَأَيْتُهُ يُحَرِّكُهَا يَدْعُو بِهَا  

I purposely looked at the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, how he offered it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up, faced the direction of the qiblah and uttered the takbir (Allah is most great) and then raised his hands in front of his ears, then placed his right hand on his left (catching each other). When he was about to bow, he raised them in the same manner. He then placed his hands on his knees. When he raised his head after bowing, he raised them in the like manner. When he prostrated himself he placed his forehead between his hands. He then sat down and spread his left foot and placed his left hand on his left thigh, and kept his right elbow aloof from his right thigh. He closed his two fingers and made a circle (with the fingers). I (Asim ibn Kulayb) saw him (Bishr ibn al-Mufaddal) say in this manner. Bishr made the circle with the thumb and the middle finger and pointed with the forefinger.  

قُلْتُ لأَنْظُرَنَّ إِلَى صَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي قَالَ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ فَكَبَّرَ فَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى حَاذَتَا أُذُنَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ شِمَالَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ رَفَعَهُمَا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ فَلَمَّا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ رَفَعَهُمَا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَلَمَّا سَجَدَ وَضَعَ رَأْسَهُ بِذَلِكَ الْمَنْزِلِ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ فَافْتَرَشَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى وَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُسْرَى وَحَدَّ مِرْفَقَهُ الأَيْمَنَ عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَقَبَضَ ثِنْتَيْنِ وَحَلَّقَ حَلْقَةً وَرَأَيْتُهُ يَقُولُ هَكَذَا وَحَلَّقَ بِشْرٌ الإِبْهَامَ وَالْوُسْطَى وَأَشَارَ بِالسَّبَّابَةِ  

"I said: 'I am going to watch how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prays.' So I watched him and he stood and said the takbir, and raised his hands until they were in the level with his ears, then he placed his right hand over his left hand, wrist and lower forearm. When he wanted to bow he raised his hands likewise. Then he prostrated and placed his hands in level with his ears. Then he sat up and placed his left leg under him; he put his left hand on his left thigh and knee, and he put the edge of his right elbow on his right thigh, then he held two of his fingers together and made a circle, and raised his forefinger, and I saw him moving it and supplicating with it." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 889)   

أخْبَرَهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَأَنْظُرَنَّ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي؟ قَالَ فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَيْهِ قَامَ فَكَبَّرَ وَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى حَاذَتَا أُذُنَيْهِ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى ظَهْرِ كَفِّهِ الْيُسْرَى وَالرُّسْغِ وَالسَّاعِدِ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ مِثْلَهَا وَوَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ مِثْلَهَا ثُمَّ سَجَدَ فَجَعَلَ كَفَّيْهِ بِحِذَاءِ أُذُنَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَعَدَ فَافْتَرَشَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى فَوَضَعَ كَفَّهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ وَرُكْبَتِهِ الْيُسْرَى وَجَعَلَ حَدَّ مِرْفَقِهِ الْأَيْمَنِ عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى ثُمَّ قَبَضَ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِهِ فَحَلَّقَ حَلْقَةً ثُمَّ رَفَعَ إِصْبَعَهُ فَرَأَيْتُهُ يُحَرِّكُهَا يَدْعُو بِهَا ثُمَّ جِئْتُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فِي زَمَانٍ فِيهِ بَرْدٌ فَرَأَيْتُ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهِمُ الثِّيَابُ تُحَرَّكُ أَيْدِيهِمْ مِنْ تَحْتِ الثِّيَابِ مِنَ الْبَرْدِ  

[Machine] He informed me, he said, "I said, 'I want to observe how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performs Salah.' So, he stood up and raised his hands until they reached his ears. Then, he grasped his left hand with his right hand. Then, when he intended to bow, he raised his hands until they reached his ears, then he placed his hands on his knees. Then, he raised his head, and raised his hands in the same manner. Then, he prostrated and placed his hands parallel to his ears. Then, he sat down and spread his left leg, placing his left hand on his left knee, and raising his right elbow on his thigh. Then, he made a circle with his thumb and middle finger, and shaved off a section (of his hair). Then, I saw him saying, 'Thus,' and Zuhayr pointed with his index finger and closed two fingers together, and placed his thumb on the middle finger."  

أَخْبَرَهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَأَنْظُرَنَّ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي فَقَامَ فَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى حَاذَتَا أُذُنَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ شِمَالَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ حِينَ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى حَاذَتَا بِأُذُنَيْهِ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ فَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ سَجَدَ فَوَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ حِذَاءَ أُذُنَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَعَدَ فَافْتَرَشَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى وَوَضَعَ كَفَّهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى رُكْبَتِهِ الْيُسْرَى فَخِذِهِ فِي صِفَةِ عَاصِمٍ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ حَدَّ مِرْفَقِهِ الْأَيْمَنِ عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَقَبَضَ ثَلَاثِينَ وَحَلَّقَ حَلْقَةً ثُمَّ رَأَيْتُهُ يَقُولُ هَكَذَا وَأَشَارَ زُهَيْرٌ بِسَبَّابَتِهِ الْأُولَى وَقَبَضَ إِصْبَعَيْنِ وَحَلَّقَ الْإِبْهَامَ عَلَى السَّبَّابَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ  

[Machine] I saw the Prophet ﷺ start the prayer by saying the takbeer, raising his hands, then taking his left hand with his right hand. When he wanted to bow, he said the takbeer, raised his hands, placed his palms on his knees, and spread his fingers. When he raised his head, he said the takbeer and raised his hands. When he prostrated, he placed his forehead between his palms, and straightened his fingers and toes. When he raised up, he raised his left leg and straightened his right leg and when he sat down, he placed his left hand on his left thigh and his right elbow on his right thigh, and closed his middle finger and the one next to it, and clenched the thumb, and pointed with his index finger to make his supplication.  

«رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ افْتَتَحَ الصَّلَاةَ وَكَبَّرَ وَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ شِمَالَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ كَبَّرَ فَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ فَوَضَعَ رَاحَتَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَفَرَّجَ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِهِ فَلَمَّا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ كَبَّرَ وَرَفَعَ فَلَمَّا سَجَدَ وَضَعَ جَبِينَهُ بَيْنَ كَفَّيْهِ وَنَصَبَ أَصَابِعَ رِجْلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا رَفَعَ ثَنَّى رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى وَنَصَبَ أَصَابِعَ رِجْلَهِ الْيُمْنَى فَلَمَّا جَلَسَ وَضَعَ كَفَّهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُسْرَى وَوَضَعَ مِرْفَقَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَعَقَدَ الْخِنْصَرَ وَالَّتِي تَلِيهَا وَحَلَّقَ بِالْوُسْطَى وَالْإِبْهَامِ وَأَشَارَ بِالسَّبَّابَةِ يَدْعُو بِهَا»  

[Machine] He informed me, so I said, "I will observe the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ how he prays." He then stood up and raised his hands until they were level with his ears. Then he took his left hand with his right hand, and when he intended to bow, he raised his hands until they reached level with his ears. Then he placed his palms on his knees. Then he raised his hands like that again. Then he prostrated, placed his hands next to his ears, and prostrated again, placing his hands next to his ears. Then he sat and stretched out his left leg and placed his left hand on his left knee, then he placed his right forearm on his right thigh, and closed his fist. Then I saw him say, "Thus (he demonstrated it) and raised his index finger."  

أَخْبَرَهُ قُلْتُ «لَأَنْظُرَنَّ إِلَى صَلَاةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي فَقَامَ فَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى حَاذَتَا بِأُذُنَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ شِمَالَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ ثُمَّ حِينَ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى حَاذَتَا بِأُذُنَيْهِ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ فَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ سَجَدَ فَوَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ حِذَاءَ أُذُنَيْهِ ثُمَّ سَجَدَ فَوَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ حِذَاءَ أُذُنَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَعَدَ فَافْتَرَشَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى وَوَضَعَ كَفَّهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى رُكْبَتِهِ الْيُسْرَى ثُمَّ وَضَعَ حَدَّ مِرْفَقَهُ الْأَيْمَنِ عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَقَبَضَ ثِنْتَيْنِ وَحَلَّقَ حَلْقَةَ ثُمَّ رَأَيْتُهُ يَقُولُ هَكَذَا وَرَفَعَ زُهَيْرٌ أُصْبُعَهُ الْمُسَبِّحَةَ»  

[Machine] I came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "I want to see how you pray." He faced the qibla, said takbeer, and raised his hands until they were in line with his shoulders. Then he took his left hand with his right hand. When he wanted to bow, he raised his hands until they were in line with his shoulders. When he bowed, he placed his hands on his knees. When he wanted to raise from the rukoo', he raised his hands until they were in line with his shoulders. When he prostrated, he placed his hands from his face in that position. When he sat, he placed his left foot under him and placed his left hand on his left thigh and placed his right elbow on his right thigh and clasped two fingers and pointed with the index finger. This was narrated by Sufyan Ath-Thawri, Shu'bah bin Al-Hajjaj, Abu Awana, Ghilan bin Jamih, Abu Al-Ahwas, Zaidah bin Qudamah, and a group of narrators from Aasim bin Kulayb, except that some of them said it was the height of his ears, and Ibn Uyaynah agreed with Abdul Wahid bin Ziyad in regards to the position of the shoulders.  

أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ لَأَنْظُرَنَّ كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي فَاسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ وَكَبَّرَ وَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى كَانَتَا حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ شِمَالَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى كَانَتَا حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ فَلَمَّا رَكَعَ وَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى كَانَتَا حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ فَلَمَّا سَجَدَ وَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ مِنْ وَجْهِهِ ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعَ فَلَمَّا جَلَسَ افْتَرَشَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى وَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُسْرَى وَوَضَعَ حَدَّ مِرْفَقِهِ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَعَقَدَ ثِنْتَيْنِ وَحَلَّقَ وَاحِدَةً وَأَشَارَ بِالسَّبَّابَةِ وَرَوَاهُ سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ وَشُعْبَةُ بْنُ الْحَجَّاجِ وَأَبُو عَوَانَةَ وَغِيلَانُ بْنُ جَامِعٍ وَأَبُو الْأَحْوَصِ وَزَائِدَةُ بْنُ قُدَامَةَ وَابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ وَجَمَاعَةٌ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ كُلَيْبٍ إِلَّا أَنَّ بَعْضَهُمْ قَالَ حِذَاءَ أُذُنَيْهِ وَوَافَقَ ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ عَبْدَ الْوَاحِدِ بْنَ زِيَادٍ فِي الْمَنْكِبَيْنِ  

[Machine] "I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "I want to watch how he prays." He ﷺ stood up, faced the qibla, and said the takbeer (saying 'Allahu Akbar'). He raised his hands until they were in line with his shoulders. Then, when he performed the rukoo' (bowing), he placed his hands on his knees. When he raised his head from the rukoo', he raised his hands until they were in line with his shoulders. Then, when he prostrated, he placed his face between his hands in that position. Abdul-Wahid ibn Ziyad narrated from Asim that his hands were in line with his shoulders in raising his hands, and Sufyan ibn Uyaynah confirmed this. Bishr ibn al-Mufaddal and others narrated from Asim that his hands were in line with his ears in raising his hands. And when he prostrated, he placed his head between his hands in that position."  

أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ لَأَنْظُرَنَّ كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي قَالَ فَقَامَ فَاسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ وَكَبَّرَ وَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى كَانَتَا حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ فَلَمَّا رَكَعَ وَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ فَلَمَّا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى كَانَتَا حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ فَلَمَّا سَجَدَ وَضَعَ وَجْهَهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ بِذَلِكَ الْمَكَانِ وَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ كَذَا قَالَ عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنْ عَاصِمٍ حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ وَوَافَقَهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ فِي رَفْعِ الْيَدَيْنِ سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ وَقَالَ بِشْرُ بْنُ الْمُفَضَّلِ وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ عَاصِمٍ حَذْوَ أُذُنَيْهِ وَقَالَ فَلَمَّا سَجَدَ وَضَعَ رَأْسَهُ بِذَلِكَ الْمَنْزِلِ مِنْ يَدَيْهِ